September 2025 School Board Activity At a Glance
(Highlighting important actions from the September 9, 2025, and September 23, 2025, meetings)
Motions & Approvals
The Board approved several key items unanimously during September, ensuring operational and personnel needs were met, and setting strategic direction.
- Superintendent’s Goals Approved: The Board unanimously approved the Superintendent's Goals for the 2025/2026 School Year. These goals are directly connected to the District Strategic Plan and its five pillars, and will be posted on the District Website to inform the community that the District is driven by goals and actions. The goals consist of eight key areas: Communications, Curriculum and Assessment, Facilities, Finance, Policy Review, Derry Village School, Monitor & Reporting, and Personal Goals & Growth.
- Derry Village School Advisory Committee Formed: The Board voted unanimously to form the Derry Village School Advisory Committee, tasked with studying options for the future of the school and property and producing a report by the end of the calendar year. The Board later unanimously approved the full list of nominations for this committee, which includes three Board members (Brenda Willis, Karen Rand, and Jason MacLeod), administration (Superintendent Flynn, Dr. Crawford, Ms. Simard, and Mr. Lamothe), town representatives (Beverly Donovan and Erin Spencer), and three community members (Elizabeth Corcoran, Tom Cardon, and Ben Cone).
- Personnel Nominations: The Board accepted the nomination of Kristen Mitchell as Assistant Director of Student Services. Additionally, the Consent Agenda approved the nominations of Melodee Hodges (Special Education Teacher, East Derry Memorial Elementary School) and Katherine Smith (Occupational Therapist, District).
Financial Approval Notes:
- The Consent Agenda for September 23 included the Manifest in the amount of $2,293,919.51.
- The Consent Agenda for September 9 included the Manifest in the amount of $2,799,947.35.
Policies: First Readings & Status Updates
The Policy Committee has begun establishing a method to update 25% of policies to ensure the District remains compliant with new laws.
- First Readings: Four policies were presented for a First Reading on September 23, 2025:
- Policy AB, NH Parental Bill of Rights
- Policy JICJ, Unauthorized Communication Devices
- Policy JICL, Acceptable Use-Student
- Policy BEA, Regular Board Meetings
- Cell Phone Policy (Policy JICL): There was discussion regarding cell phone use, noting that Pinkerton Academy has implemented a "bell-to-bell" ban on campus, which is working well. The District currently has a cell phone policy (Policy JICL) stating devices should be turned off and put away during school hours unless instructed by staff. The District received a final technical advisory from the State to help structure the policy alignment with the new Bill (Senate Bill 206).
Committee Activity Highlights
Reports from various committees summarized meetings held throughout September:
| Committee | Meeting Date(s) | Key Activity Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Facilities Committee | September 9, 2025; September 18, 2025 | Continued work on South Range Elementary School projects, including finalizing HVAC designs and discussing options for roofing. Discussed installing a second boiler unit. Began developing a Capital Improvement Plan. Identified cracked bricks at West Running Brook Intermediate School for repair. |
| Technology & Transportation Committee | September 11, 2025 | Discussed adding a new bus stop to Beaver Lake Road. Reported on the formation of a School Start Times Task Force to study options and operational impacts. Discussed a new "opt-in" policy for utilizing YouTube for classroom assignments. |
| Communications Committee | September 19, 2025 | Discussed methods for effectively communicating District happenings and how to interface with other committees. Focused on ensuring the District Website is routinely updated by gathering highlights from committees and department chairs. Discussed developing a quarterly School Board Newsletter. |
| Finance Committee | (Met earlier on September 23, 2025) | Discussed options for warrant articles and the possibility of establishing trusts for fluctuating funding (e.g., Special Education). Decided to share the Annual Budget twice per year, in July and again in December. Emphasized the assurance of integrity provided by consistent rolling audits. |
| Emergency Management Team | (First Meeting of the Year) | Reviewed the emergency operations plan, which is due to the State of New Hampshire by October 15, 2025. Each building has its own individual plan. |
| Curriculum & Assessment Committee | September 9, 2025 | Reviewed the District vision and five pillars. Began planning actionable steps for curriculum review, programming, and identifying gaps while considering the budget. |
Administrative & Strategic Updates
Curriculum & Instruction
- The District is implementing new practices and expectations related to the new English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum for grades 5-8, including checkpoints and requiring teachers to post grades every two weeks.
- The District is launching the NH’s Kid Governor Civics Program for fifth-grade students.
- The Educator Institute, a three-year orientation onboarding program for new educators, was reviewed.
Food Service & Finance
- The DOE-25 (District expenses and revenue report) is due to the State by September 30, 2025.
- Families must reapply annually for Free & Reduced Lunch prior to mid-October. An informational video about the application process, sent via ParentSquare, received 4,216 opens.
- The District has been actively monitoring funds, noting that in a recent 30-day period, the District earned $19,126.91 in interest in its general Citizens Bank account.
Technology & Transportation
- New MacBook Airs were distributed to teachers as laptop upgrades.
- New Chromebooks were rolled out to grade 5 students.
- Improved afternoon bus runs were reported, and Pinkerton Academy’s dismissal flow improved with four buses this year (up from three last year).
Pinkerton Academy & Community
- Pinkerton Academy is leading Londonderry 2 to 1 in the ongoing Mack Plaque competition.
- 4th Grade State House Visits are scheduled for October 21, 2025, for East Derry Memorial Elementary School students.
- Chairman Thiele led a moment of silence to honor the passing of Kathleen Murphy, former Assistant Superintendent and longtime teacher of the District.
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August 2025 School Board Activity At a Glance
(Highlighting important actions, goals, and start-of-year preparations from the August 12, 2025, and August 26, 2025, meetings)
Strategic Planning & Goal Setting
The Board formally adopted its guiding goals for the school year, providing clarity and direction for all District initiatives.
2025/2026 School Board Goals Adopted
The Board adopted six specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (S.M.A.R.T.) goals for the 2025/2026 school year. These goals were developed based on discussions held in May and input gathered individually from Board members.
- Communications: Develop a plan for communication of the Board and the District's goals, initiatives, budgets, and projects.
- Curriculum & Assessment: Create a regular schedule for review of curriculum materials and facilitate the creation of materials to educate the public on learning expectations and student progress measurement.
- Facilities: Facilitate the development of the schedule for anticipated future capital improvements and develop a plan to fund a capital reserve for those improvements.
- Finance: Develop a transparent, easy-to-understand process for creating the District's annual budget.
- Policy Review: Review and update the District's Policy Manual to match current laws and practices, and explore options for creating an online police database.
- Derry Village School: Create an Advisory Committee tasked with exploring all options for the Derry Village School property, building, and its contents and making a recommendation to the School Board.
Motions & Financial Actions
The Board made key financial decisions regarding the year-end fund balance and approved new personnel nominations ahead of the school year start.
- Return to Taxpayers: The Board voted unanimously to return $2,519,686 of the estimated FY25 year-end fund balance to taxpayers.
- Contingency Fund Retention: The Board voted unanimously to retain $2,109,612 in the Contingency Fund, which is the maximum allowable balance under RSA 198:4/B.
- Key Personnel Approvals: The Board unanimously approved the nomination of Patricia Thomas as the Secondary Learning Coordinator, District. Kristen Mitchell was nominated as Assistant Director of Student Services.
- Bond Investment Strategy: District Treasurer David Clapp presented the recommendation to invest the $24.6 Million bond proceeds in the New Hampshire Public Deposit Investment Pool (NHPDIP) due to its higher yield (4.3% as of August 11, 2025) compared to Citizens Bank (3.33%). This strategy is estimated to earn roughly $600,000 in interest over the 2-to-3-year time frame of expending these funds.
Financial Overview (Manifest Approvals)
- Manifest approved August 12: $3,899,648.86.
- Manifest approved August 26: $2,152,809.28.
District Structure & Committee Appointments
Superintendent Flynn initiated changes to the administrative structure and formally appointed co-chairs for the School Board committees.
- Administrative Structure Change: The Director of Facilities, Jeremy Lamothe, will now report directly to Superintendent Flynn.
- Committee Formalization: The Board formalized the structure for Board committees, confirming that each committee will include three directors or administrators, with one identified as an administrative Co-chair.
- Administrative Co-Chairs Appointed:
- Communications Committee: Joseph Crawford (Assistant Superintendent) and Jamie Carreau (Board Member).
- Curriculum & Assessment Committee: Kim Conant (Director of Curriculum) and Jen Theroux (Board Member).
- Facilities Committee: Jeremy Lamothe (Director of Facilities) and Jason MacLeod (Board Member).
- Finance Committee: Jane Simard (Business Administrator) and Jenna Paradise (Board Member).
- Policy Review Committee: Michael Flynn (Superintendent) and Brenda Willis (Board Member).
- Technology and Transportation: Clif Dancy (Director of Information Services) and Karen Rand (Board Member).
Start-of-School Updates & Facilities Projects
Administrative & School Highlights
- First Day of School: Students in grades K-8 began school on August 25, 2025. Overall attendance for the first day was 97%.
- New Curriculum Launch: The District Curriculum Team worked extensively over the summer to prepare for the launch of the new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for grades 5 through 8.
- Middle School Focus: Gilbert H. Hood Middle School adopted a new motto, "Husky Strong," focusing on working hard, making good choices, and being kind. They also implemented a new schedule allowing for updated Morning Meetings, Intervention Blocks, and the addition of a second Wellness teacher, Digital Literacy, and Modern Music.
- Audit Preparations: Preparation for the fiscal year 2024/2025 audit began on August 25, 2025. The Single Audit for FY 2023/2024 (covering Food Service and ESSER Funds) began the week of August 26, 2025.
- Transportation: Pinkerton Academy's dismissal flow improved with the use of four buses this year, up from three last year.
Capital Improvement Bond Status
Significant progress was reported on capital projects funded by the bond.
- West Running Brook Intermediate School: The Banding Replacement project was reported as 99% completed by the first day of school (August 25, 2025).
- Roofing Projects: The roof replacements at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School and Grinnell Elementary School were expected to be 100% completed by the end of August 2025. Chimney repair at Grinnell Elementary School was 100% complete.
- South Range Elementary School: Gale Associates submitted the 35% schematic design submission for review. The roof design is complete, with anticipation for bidding in January/February of 2026.
In Memoriam
Moments of silence were held to recognize former students and the transition of District leadership.
- A moment of silence was observed for the passing of former student, Cayden Candage.
- A moment of silence was observed for the passing of student, Youness Kraouch.
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July 2025 School Board Activity At a Glance
(Highlighting the start of the new administrative cycle based on available meeting context, July 22, 2025)
Administrative Transition & Strategic Focus
The July meeting marked a period of formal transition and the initiation of strategic planning for the 2025/2026 school year.
- New Superintendent Welcomed: The July 22, 2025, meeting was the first scheduled School Board meeting where the new Superintendent, Michael Flynn, was welcomed.
- Goals Presentation Initiated: Superintendent Flynn was scheduled to synthesize and summarize the potential Board goals—developed from individual input shared prior to July 1—and present them to the Board at the July 22 meeting for review and discussion. These goals would later be tied to the District Strategic Plan and used to set administrative standards for the year.
- Financial Planning Review: The Board’s Finance Committee had previously discussed providing an update on the Unreserved Fund Balance, with a plan to provide discussion during the first meeting in August (August 12, 2025), following the July meeting.
- Bond Status: The bond sale was scheduled to take place on July 16, 2025, with the closing scheduled for early August (August 6 or 7, 2025). The Business Administrator had completed and submitted all required documentation to the New Hampshire Bond Bank.
Financial Approvals (Manifests)
Manifests (financial expenditure approvals) for the July 22 meeting were approved during the subsequent August meetings.
- Note: Specific Manifest amount for July 22 is not detailed in the sources, as this meeting's minutes were not provided.
Important Context: Superintendent Retirement
Prior to the July transition, the Board spent time honoring the previous Superintendent's service:
- Retirement of Dr. Garofalo: Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Garofalo thanked the Board, administration, staff, and students for their partnership and work during his 21 years with the District, expressing confidence in the future of the District as he retired.
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