REMINDER
Northwood Democrats are invited to the next meeting at the
Community Hall in the Narrows, Wed., Feb 15, at 7pm. Topics will
include the upcoming town and school elections. RSVP to Johanna
Chase, 942-8940, [email protected].
Congratulations to Carter Rollins of Northwood, a freshman
majoring in computer science, who was named to Clarkson
University Dean’s List for the fall 2016 semester at Clarkson
University.
Dean’s List students must achieve a minimum 3.25 grade-point
average and also carry at least 14 credit hours.
Congratulations to Garrett William Kunz of Northwood, a
sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, who was named a
Presidential Scholar for the fall 2016 semester at Clarkson
University.
Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point
average and carry at least 14 credit hours.
Congratulations to Randall Daniels of Northwood, enrolled in
Southern New Hampshire University’s BS Computer Information
Technology - Degree in Three + Program. Randall was named to the
President’s List at SNHU for the Fall 2016 semester.
Eligibility for the President’s List requires that a student
accumulate an academic grade point average of 3.7-4.0.
Congratulations to Samuel Kenny of Northwood, enrolled in
Southern New Hampshire University’s BS Business Administration
Program. Samuel was named to the President’s List at SNHU for
the Fall 2016 semester.
Eligibility for the President’s List requires that a student
accumulate an academic grade point average of 3.7-4.0.
Congratulations to William Ohrenberger of Northwood, enrolled
in Southern New Hampshire University’s BS Economics and Finance
- Degree in Three + Program. William was named to the
President’s List at SNHU for the Fall 2016 semester.
Eligibility for the President’s List requires that a student
accumulate an academic grade point average of 3.7-4.0.
Letter To The Editor
To
the Editor,
There is no shame. In her letter last week Ms. McGuigan tells us
that she works in one of NH’s top 10 schools which has full day
kindergarten. She makes the leap for us, fdk leads to a top 10
ranking. Horse manure! A little homework will show that of the
top ten schools, only five have full day kindergarten. Indeed,
there is no correlation. Nor is there in student/teacher ratio.
The top ten range from 10.1 students per teacher to 15.5. The
three schools with the highest ratio, 15.5, 14.7 and 13.6 do not
have fdk. Yet they can educate their children very well. Ours is
12. I’ll bet every one of the 10 has a much lower cost per
student also. Don’t drink her Kool-Aid Fdk, full time curriculum
director and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ are all a smoke screen to hide
the real issues at our elementary school...
How
lucky her students are. I’m going to make some leaps too.
Starting at the top I’ll bet she has a superintendent with a
staff who manages to find the time to support her school in
every way. Maybe she hasn’t had to put up with three principals
and three assistant principals in under four years. Might she
have a staff that tries to listen to all of the town’s residents
and not just those that are politically like them? Could her
school appreciate discipline? Do the teachers embrace new
programs or fight them? Does her school board quash discussion,
strive to limit other views, want to go home as soon as they get
to a meeting, and support downright ineptitude? I’ll bet not.
Does her district strive to get the support of taxpayers or ride
roughshod and ignore the will of the people? Just asking.
The
old Grinch,
Tim
Jandebeur
Northwood
Letter To The Editor
Well, my fellow Northwood residents, it’s time to set the record
straight. Mr. Jandebeur’s letter of 2/8/17 is full of
misrepresentations.
The
Public Hearing for the School budget was to offer the public the
opportunity to hear and ask questions about the budget the
Committee is proposing to the voters. Therefore, it is for the
Budget Committee to respond to any questions from the public.
All members are free to answer questions, and as Chair, it is
my responsibility to answer as many as I can. The
Superintendent did respond to several questions, but when
questions regarding transferring funds between lines were asked,
our Board Administrator rightly reminded me that this line of
questioning is more appropriate for Deliberative Session. I did
not refuse to allow it.
When asked if we looked at student or teacher counts, my exact
response was “I took this budget as being one that was prepared
and approved by the school board, that this was what met their
needs, and I didn’t feel the need to challenge whether they had
enough teachers, or too many teachers. Again, I will tell you
to check with the school board.”
As
for the $700,000 that the BC was allegedly off on the 2015/2016
budget, here are the figures: Health Insurance came in $184,201
less than budgeted. Special Ed costs including transportation
came in $360,825 less than budgeted. Some students moved out of
town, others came back to mainstream, rather than out of
district. High School Tuition had $19,595 left at the end of
the year. Finally, Unanticipated Revenue was received in the
amount of $131,157, for a total of $695,678. None of
these lines could be predicted nor controlled by School Board or
Budget Committee.
Folks, please do your own research, and Tim, let’s stick with
the facts.
Ginger Dole
Northwood
This Weekend’s LRPA After Dark Feature: 1930’s
“Abraham Lincoln”
Lakes Region Public Access Television is throwing a cinematic
celebration of Abe Lincoln’s birthday, and you’re all invited!
Join us at 10:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday (February 17 &
18) for our “LRPA After Dark” feature, 1930’s dramatic biopic
“Abraham Lincoln,” starring Walter Huston and Una Merkel. We are
especially pleased to present this “lost classic,” as it is
rarely seen on television. “Abraham Lincoln” was one of only two
talkies directed by D.W. Griffith, a pioneer and innovator of
silent film. It also was the first sound film about the Civil
War that could be viewed by veterans of that war: historically
remarkable! The film’s screenwriter was Pulitzer Prize-winning
poet Stephen Vincent Benet. The movie is presented in a series
of “personality sketches” – tableaus from Lincoln’s life and
career. While the film was critically well received during its
time, it has since fallen into relative obscurity, despite the
fine performance of Walter Huston. If you love classic film, how
can you resist? So grab your popcorn and join LRPA after dark
for this vintage classic!
Letter To The Editor
The
School Deliberative Session was held last week at 6:30 pm at
Northwood School. Over 140 people were in attendance, including
many parents with kids.
When the School Board presented the article for the operating
budget, it was quickly amended to reduce the amount, removing
funding for full-day kindergarten. After discussion, the
question was called for a vote.
At
this point, a paper signed by 5 voters was handed to the
Moderator requesting a paper ballot. With a collective groan,
the attendees began to line up to vote.
While this is certainly permissible under state law, it appeared
to me that the signers were not worried about secrecy. Rather,
they clearly intended to slow the process down. A friend of
mine with two children in the school was upset and worried that
she and many other parents might not be able to stay late enough
to participate in the deliberations. She was certain that this
was planned by the five signers to use up time. In
fact, someone told me that I didn’t give him enough ballots
because there were going to be more votes by paper ballots
called for.
That first paper vote took almost half an hour. At that rate,
the article on full-day kindergarten, at the end of the warrant,
would not be gotten to until much, much later – when many of the
parents and those who had to go to work the next day might have
left.
Fortunately, the amendment was soundly defeated – 90+ to 40+ -
and the five signers didn’t repeat the ploy.
Even so, even with “show of hands” voting, the meeting took over
3 hours. But before we left, in a final show of support, we
amended a petition warrant article to “include” – not remove –
funding for full-day kindergarten. Please tell our State
Legislators to vote for full funding of kindergarten by the
State.
Johanna Chase
Candidates For Town And School Officials
The
filing period has closed for the March ballot and there are only
two races for open positions.
On
the school ballot, Marie Correa is challenging incumbent Keith
McGuigan for a 3 year seat on the school board.
James Vaillancourt and Lee Baldwin are both asking for your vote
for the one-3 year term as Trustee of Trust Funds. Ms. Baldwin
was appointed to the position following the resignation of a
trustee last year.
All
other candidates are unopposed on the town ballot:
Selectmen-Scott Bryer; Treasurer-Sandy Priolo; Library
Trustee-Patricia Vaillancourt; Cemetery Trustee-Stephen Bailey;
Planning Board-Lee Baldwin; Budget Committee 4 openings for
three year term-David Ruth, Betty Smith, Michael Smith, Brian
Winslow; Budget Committee 1 opening for two years-Joseph
McCaffrey; Budget Committee 1 opening for one year-Michael
Faiella; Police Commission-John Schlang.
Chesley Memorial Library and the Harvey Lake Woman’s Club will
hold a Candidates Night on Tuesday, February 21 at 7 pm at the
Northwood Town Hall. This will be an opportunity to meet the
candidates, hear why they are running for office and for the
audience to ask questions.
A
voter guide was included in last week’s Suncook Valley Sun. It
includes all town warrant articles and zoning amendments that
will appear on the ballot, along with a brief explanation of the
articles. If you did not receive one, you may view the document
online on the town website: northwoodnh.org or pick up a copy at
the town hall during regular business hours Mon.-Fri. 8-4.
Letter To The Editor
Re-establish Your Voice
February 6th, Northwood held its school budget deliberative
session. One observation realized was the friction amongst
various groups within our town.
I
can get this in Washington DC. A deliberative session is time
to discuss and work towards a common goal for the school
children and the townspeople. There was NO community spirit to
be had this year. Sharp lines of division were drawn on all
sides, strategies were put into action, and in the end the
voting public of Northwood will be denied their say on school
matters.
A
small crowd of people have removed your ability as voters to
accept or reject School Board spending and ideology in the
operating budget this year. All petition warrant articles
putting controls on the School Board activities have been
nullified in favor of what they have decided is best.
This is a disservice to all townspeople and students of
Northwood. In the end we see excess monies not producing stated
goals (Northwood’s state ranking dropped again – now in bottom
1/3 of state) while hiking expenses, salaries, hiring people,
and in my opinion not getting to real solutions to return
Northwood Elementary to former status and glory.
But
Election Day, March 14th, we the people can change the makeup of
the School Board, and work in a new direction with Marie Correa
(Candidate) who has worked in all 3 of our SAU schools over the
years. This requires help from you the people of Northwood,
since you will see on Election Day, you have been pushed aside,
by the most autocrat School Board members who do not respect
YOUR opinion. Re-establish your rights as a citizen, vote Marie
Correa – School Board
Alec Correa
Northwood
Letter To The Editor
Time
to Up-shift
Downshifting, to many of you of a certain age, means shifting
into a lower gear. But here in New Hampshire it all-too-often
refers to the Legislature’s practice of cutting funding to towns
to balance the State budget while leaving the towns to raise
their property taxes.
Years ago, the State used to contribute to the building and
renovation of schools. Our school expansion was funded in part
by the State. Now the State’s contribution is zero, even as
towns like Nottingham look at the cost of replacing the
“temporary” modular classrooms – as we did – where some of their
students are housed.
In
the 1960’s, when the State started its employee retirement
program, it matched towns that joined the system at 40¢ on the
dollar. Six years ago, the matching ended and the full cost of
employee retirement was down-shifted to towns – and to your and
my property tax bill.
And
when the school funding formula was written, the State provided
only half the amount for kindergarten students as it did for
Grades 1-12. That may have made sense when most kindergarten
programs were ½-day. But now more that 60% of programs statewide
are full day, and funding should be equal.
This session, House Bill 155 would raise kindergarten funding to
the same level. Our Representatives should support this bill.
While she and her colleague, Rep. Brian J. Stone were no-shows
at the Town Deliberative Session, to her credit, Rep. Yvonne
Dean-Bailey did attend our School Deliberative Session. There
she heard and saw 2-to-1 support for full-day kindergarten, both
in the Operating Budget as proposed, and in the amending of
contrarian petition warrant articles.
If
they won’t come to town meetings to hear what we think, contact
them directly to urge them to support HB155.
Tom
Chase
Northwood
Obituaries
Ellis A. Ring
MANCHESTER- Mr. Ellis Albert Ring, 90, of
Manchester, died February 1, 2017 at the Elliott Hospital after
a period of declining health.
Born in Wilton, Ellis was the son of the late Joseph and Edwina
(Weston) Ring. He was raised and educated in Wilton. He later
enlisted in the United States Navy and proudly served his
country during World War II. Following his honorable discharge,
he returned to New Hampshire and attended U.N.H., where he met
his future wife. He later matriculated to Springfield College
where he graduated Class of 1953 with a degree in physical
education.
Ellis was proud of his long career as a salesman. He was
employed for many years by the Grolier Corporation and later
worked for the Here’s Where Company.
A
longtime resident of Northwood, NH, Mr. Ring was active in
community affairs, as a member of the Bicentennial Committee in
Northwood and an active volunteer with the Lions Club. He was
the first president and a founding member of the NH Snowmobile
Association where he and his wife Eloise enjoyed the snowmobile
ride-in for Easter Seals; as well as a founding member of the
Saddleback Mountain Lions Club in Northwood and the Northwood
Crankpullers Snowmobile Club. Ellis enjoyed his time as a
caller for the Northwood Highsteppers and other square dance
clubs. He was a member of Morrison #90 Masonic Lodge of
Northwood and a life member of the Square Dance Foundation of
New England.
He
enjoyed square dancing, computers and above all, the time spent
with family and friends at The Farm. He enjoyed doing square
dances for the kids at the Friday night cookouts at The Farm.
He
was predeceased by his wife, Eloise (Watson) Ring, son, James
Ring, and his brothers, Joseph Edward, Norman and Phillip.
He
is survived by his children: Harry Ring of Penacook and Sandra
Silva of Northwood. He was the grandfather of Joshua and David
Ring, Alicia Hullinger, April Lawrence, Melissa Burris, Sabrina
Goss, and Arthur and Drew Ring. He was the loving great
grandfather to Keegan, Emmalynn, Margaret, Gray, Daniel, Mason,
Starr, Erika, Emma, Dakota and Trevor.
There are no calling hours. A Celebration of Ellis’ Life will
be held on Saturday, February 18th, 2017 from 2 to 4 P.M. at
Morrison Lodge 158 1st New Hampshire Turnpike in Northwood, NH.
During these hours, there will be a Masonic and Eastern Star
Service presented. Assisting the family with the arrangements
is the Petit-Roan Funeral Home in Pembroke. To share a memory
or offer a condolence, please visit
www.petitroan.com.