Why is Francestown’s withdrawal from ConVal on the ballot again this March? As a parent of three students in the ConVal schools and a member of the Francestown School Committee, I’d like to share my answer.

First and foremost, our community deeply values high quality public education, and until recently, Francestown’s membership in the ConVal Cooperative District had assured that for all our students. However, the 2023 effort by the ConVal school board to close up to four elementary schools prompted Francestown’s (and Dublin’s) initial push for withdrawal. When consolidation was voted down, school board members stated that it would no longer be pursued (an unenforceable promise). Simultaneously, the administration suggested that resources would be directed toward middle and high schools at the expense of elementary schools. Indeed, staffing at FES has not been stable in recent years.

As a member of a nine-town cooperative district that’s spread too thin to adequately support all its elementary schools, Francestown seems to be faced with either losing our school or losing any hope for consistent staffing there. While we cherish our wonderful, dedicated staff members, they must often take on multiple roles in order to cover staffing shortages at FES.

I sympathize with an administration that is being squeezed by increasing costs coupled with inadequate state funding. While ConVal is spread across nine small towns, it lacks meaningful economies of scale that can be realized by large districts like Nashua and Manchester. ConVal also lacks the large tax base of districts like those in Bedford and Amherst.

This is why Francestown’s School Committee has looked to other, smaller models of locally managed New Hampshire school districts. We’ve met with their superintendents, principals and business managers. We’ve combed through our financial projections and checked them against the real-world budgets of these existing districts. We’ve learned about the various successes and challenges they’ve experienced. The New Hampshire Department of Education has approved the Francestown School Committee’s education plan two years in a row.

An independent Francestown school district is not only possible; it would benefit our students, our school and our community. Middle and high school students would still maintain their connection to the ConVal community, as our proposal would cover the cost of transportation and enrollment into ConVal schools for grades 6 through 12.

Last year, Francestown’s withdrawal was supported by over 80% of Francestown voters but narrowly lost district-wide. Francestown residents immediately approached our committee to urge our ongoing efforts toward withdrawal. Since then, we have continued to research and refine our education plan.

At a ConVal forum last year, a resident of one district town asked why Francestown should be “held hostage” if its residents want to withdraw. This is a judgment call for every voter residing in the ConVal district. Should Francestown be compelled, against the wishes of its residents, to remain in a district that struggles to provide necessary resources for its elementary students?

For more information, look for upcoming letters/viewpoints from our committee and for FSC community forums in district towns.

David Stahlin is the vice chair of the Francestown School Committee and lives in Francestown.