News and Views

There is an email that is being circulated asking parents to oppose the rumored reductions in teaching staff at the High School. I and the rest of the school board have received at least one email pleading with us to maintain the status quo regardless of the cost or fairness to other teachers in the system.

I have also received a couple of emails in support of the rumored reductions in force at the high school. In both cases these residents wish to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation against their children.

Here are the facts.

School enrollment has been and continues to decline. With zero residential building permits pulled this year (less then a decade ago the town processed over 150 new residential permits), with low birth rates and with a high inventory of existing homes for sale it is doubtful that the declining enrollment trend will be revised anytime soon.

Last year the teacher student ration in the elementary and middle schools was increased to about 22 students per class. The state recognizes 25 students to teacher as a reasonable ratio.

In the current proposal the High School core courses class size for grades 9, 10, 11 would be increase from 15 to about 22. No more then 25 as reported by some

These small class sizes have resulted in Bow High School per student costs being significantly above the state average. (About $14,000 per year)

If Bow High School is to continue to exist it will soon need to attract paying students from other towns. Our High School cost eliminates us from consideration by many other towns.

The school board has expressed a desire to have equity in class size across the system, to reduce the per student cost at the HS and to hold the line of property tax increases. The School Board also is committed to maintain the High Schools current core and elective course offerings.

With ALL of the wishes in mind the BOARD proposed increasing the average High School core class size from 15 to 22, give or take a student. This would allow for a reduction of 4 teachers from the core courses. The BOARD also proposes to increase class size in the elective offerings which would result in one additional teacher reduction. It would actually be reducing the number of hours among several teachers that would result in an equivalent of one additional teacher.

It is important to note that these reductions in staff if implemented correctly would result in NO REDUCTION IN CLASS OFFERINGS.

The elementary and middle schools will continue a staffing pattern that produces 22ish kids per class and this will result in one less teacher in both schools in the next budget.

Where the rumors are just plain wrong.

There have been NO SECRET meetings of the school board. All meetings have been advertised to the public in accordance with the right to know law and all budget meetings have been open to the public.

At this point in the process no one knows which teachers will not be hired back next year. This is primarily due to the teachers unions bumping rights. Seniority is NOT the only factor when one considers union bumping rights. For example; one or more teachers, with many years of experience in the Bow system, may choose to retire once there is a budget that calls for teacher reductions.

To summarize;

The issue of equity and fairness to all teachers requires the high school to increase their class size.
The BOARD has devised a proposed budget that does not eliminate a single core course offering nor does it eliminate one single elective.

The high school teaching pattern is only being brought into line with the elementary and middle schools.

The student to teacher ratio across the system will be in the lower 20’s across the entire system.
With 22 or 23 students to a class Bow will still be below the state suggested ratio.

The next school board meeting is this coming Monday evening at the High School at 7PM.

Please think about attending and voicing your opinion on this matter.

On the town side the Selectman meet this Friday evening at 5:30 PM in an effort to make produce a final budget for next year. The current proposal is projected to increase taxes, on the Town portion, by almost 10%.

Just a quick and dirty update:

Important issues on tomorrow nights (Tuesday) select board agenda.

D. Budget Reviews:

5:40 PM – Welfare – Deb Bourbeau

5:50 PM – Heritage Commission

6:00 PM – Assessing – Carol Olson

6:10 PM – Community Development & Planning, ZBA, Planning Board – Bill Klubben

6:30 PM – Code Enforcement & Municipal Buildings – Bruce Buttrick

6:50 PM – Police – Chief Erin Commerford

7:15 PM – Fire & Rescue – Chief Dana Abbott, Asst. Chief Dick Pistey

7:45 PM – General Government – Jim Pitts and Bob Levan

Executive, Finance, Debt Service, Insurance, Information Systems, Budget Committee, Emergency Management

Other news:

Did you notice your tax bill went down? This is primarily due to the local school board tax decrease. The town (municipal) portion of your tax bill actually increased.

As for the new 2011 budget.

The School board will hold its second 2011 budget meeting this Friday at 8:30 am at the high school. The school committee is trying produce a no tax increase budget. This will require holding the line on expenses and addition reduction to offset the loss of state revenues. To add to the local problem the state has mandated expense increases in the form of automatic pay increases for union staff as a result of the new “Evergreen Statute”. This law was passed by the NH Senate & House and signed by the Governor. The state also increased our cost by increasing the local percentage need to fund the state employee retirement system.

The Selectman asked the town manager to present a zero expenses budget increase for the 2011 town budget. He handed in a 5% increase.

Unlike the school board the Select Board has yet to take the position of no tax increase.

The town budget will also see reductions in income that will require additional reductions in expenses if we are to hold the line on taxes this year.

I will keep you posted.
- Tom Keane