ConVal voters will weigh in on the district’s proposal for open enrollment, as well as a second request for Francestown’s withdrawal from the district, at the polls on March 10.

ConVal Warrant Article 1 proposes the district designate the German language program at ConVal High School as an open enrollment program.

In December, as the legislature pushed for open enrollment for all New Hampshire public schools, the state Supreme Court ruled that “sending” public school districts are required to pay tuition to “receiving” districts, even if the sending district has not formally adopted an open enrollment program.

The ruling spurred school districts to write their open enrollment policies for this year’s election so they could maintain some control over the flow of students and funds in and out of each district.

“This happened very quickly. We had a very short time to create this article and develop procedures and processes around this, ” said Mike Hoyt, chair of the ConVal School Board.

The law states that districts can define open enrollment around a program, a specific school, or a whole district.

The ConVal School Board has chosen to offer open enrollment through ConVal’s German language program.

“The school board decided the German program is a good fit for open enrollment, as there are very few German language programs in New Hampshire, and none at any of our surrounding districts,” Hoyt said. “It’s an excellent program and we feel this could really benefit students from other districts as well as our own program.”

According to the new state law, once a student from another district enrolls in open enrollment for the German program, they can stay at ConVal to complete their education.

Superintendent Ann Forrest said the district is trying to limit the financial liability created by the new open enrollment law by restricting the percentage of students allowed to leave the district under the plan at zero.

The board has stated that students have always been permitted to request transfer to other districts under four other laws.

“All of our surrounding school districts are doing the same and setting this percentage at zero,” Forrest said. “For our budgeting going into next year, this is just a huge unknown.”

Jim Kingston, School Board representative from Temple, said that “everyone should support this article.”

“Open enrollment will create an uneven and unknowable change in enrollment and in tuition costs,” he said.

The article specifies that up to 35 students from other disticts can enroll in the ConVal German program.

Francestown makes second attempt at withdrawal

ConVal Article 8 asks voters whether or not they approve Francestown’s proposal to withdraw from the ConVal school district. The article is Francestown’s second attempt to withdraw.

The town’s first attempt failed by a narrow margin in the overall district last year. A total of 81% of Francestown voters approved the article, but it did not receive the approval needed from the district’s other eight towns.

If three-fifths of Francestown voters approve withdrawal from the district, the article will pass, unless three-fifths of the district-wide vote is against the article.

Representatives of the Francestown School Committee have made the case that other small towns, including Mason, Hill, and Cornish, have successfully withdrawn from larger districts, and believe Francestown can do the same. The proposals for withdrawal come after ConVal’s attempt to consolidate the district’s eight elementary schools into four schools, which failed at the polls in 2022. The FSC has stated that its primary goal is to keep Francestown Elementary School open.

The ConVal School Board has stated that if Francestown leaves the district, costs will rise for the other eight towns. The board also disputes Francestown’s projected costs, estimate of staffing needs, and ability to provide all the services currently provided by the district as outlined in the town’s education plan.

School board candidates announced; Dublin slot vacant

Friday, Jan. 30, was the deadline for interested parties to declare their candidacy for open spots on the ConVal School Board and for the position of moderator.

The following candidates have filed to run for School Board positions:

Antrim (3-year position) – Katherine Foecking

Dublin (2-year position) – No declared candidates.  This will result in a write-in opportunity. (William Gurney is vacating this position)

Francestown (3-year position) – Laura Mafera (Tom Kirlin is vacating this position)

Peterborough (3-year position) – Elizabeth Ahearn (Greg Kriebel is vacating this position)

Sharon (3-year position) – James Fredrickson.