At Wednesday’s Dublin Education Advisory Committee open forum, committee member Blake Anderson emphasized a wish that the process regarding potentially withdrawing from the ConVal School District not create rancor locally.

“Nobody wants to make ConVal an enemy,” he said. “We’re just trying to move Dublin forward because they tried to close our school.”

Seventeen residents took in a PowerPoint presentation that summarized the committee’s Aug. 12 report to the town’s Select Board. As she worked through the slides, DEAC and Select Board member Carole Monroe said, “It’s been a research-intensive project.” The catalyst for the undertaking was a proposed change to the ConVal Articles of Agreement that could have led to the closure of Dublin Consolidated School, along with the elementary schools in Temple, Bennington and Francestown. The district-wide vote went against the proposal, but the potential for Dublin Consolidated School to be closed some residents to explore an alternative to its current relationship with the ConVal district. 

The 51-page report laid out the process the committee followed, educational testing results in the district, demographics and the current and possible future financial dimensions of remaining part of ConVal as well as two options for the town. The DEAC has recommended withdrawing from ConVal but remaining in SAU 1, which would mean that services such as human resources would be managed by the SAU, with middle- and high-school students continuing to attend ConVal schools through tuition agreements.

Monroe explained that the arrangement provides “local control of DCS with the possible expansion of grades at the school.”

Resident Dave DeWitt asked, “Will families with students at South Meadow and ConVal have a say in how their children are educated?” DEAC member Blake Minckler said no, and Anderson added that “Dublin families would have more of an impact on our children in earlier grades.”. In response to DeWitt’s question as to whether Dublin residents would be eligible to vote at SAU 1 meetings if withdrawal happened, Monroe said that they would not. 

Speaking about history, Leo Plante declared, “This is the most important issue and greatest opportunity here since the Harrisville split of 1870.” Lands ceded by surrounding towns, including Dublin, created its neighbor to the north that year. Plante referenced information in the report citing New Hampshire Department of Education data that showed ConVal High School student proficiency based on test scores in reading, math and science to be 56%, 28% and 35%, respectively. He contrasted those with the scores of 91%, 79% and 76% in the same subjects at Hanover High, also in the report, and a ConVal target of 75% proficiency in these areas.

“For 20 years, the district has failed in its obligation to educate our children,” he said. “It’s not right; it’s not fair, and I’m fed up. If you care about the future of the town, (withdrawal and staying in SAU 1) looks pretty good.” 

Touching on the data, Monroe noted that, “There are certain socioeconomic demographics that bring test scores down, but still, I was shocked,” at the numbers. 

Carl Michaelson spoke in favor of separating from ConVal and SAU 1, which was another option listed in the report.

“ConVal is not a nice place for a lot of kids. It’s time to cut the cord,” he said.

Monroe noted that “There is a disconnect with the ConVal board,” and that this should be a Dublin decision. Minckler, who has five children across grade levels in the district, pointed out that there has been a school in Dublin for over 200 years. Anderson summarized the input received from other families in town, including 56 comments printed in the report.

“We heard two things – protect DCS and improve outcomes,” he said.

Former DCS Principal May Clark said, “This possible change, closing a school, is very distressing for DCS educators.” Blake and Anderson lauded the current teachers at the school, both referring to them as “amazing.”

The committee pointed out that if Dublin left the district, it would need to contract for busing independently, and that ConVal would likely welcome a tuition agreement in the event of a separation.

“It’s unlikely that they would feel otherwise,” said Monroe, prompting Anderson to add that this would probably be the case, citing the high school as currently being at 48% to 50% capacity. 

Francestown also came up at the forum, as DEAC member Jay Schechter suggested that things are proceeding positively there in terms of moving toward more autonomy in local education.

“If there’s any possibility that Francestown can break free, it will,” he said. “We’re paying so much for ConVal. Students - they can’t read, they can’t do math, they can’t do science.”

After the meeting, Monroe offered that the PowerPoint presentation will be available on the town’s website.

“We want the town to tell us what they want,” she said.

ConVal’s Feasibility Study Committee voted Thursday night not to recommend Dublin’s and Francestown’s requests to leave the district, and will submit that finding to the state. Because the feasibility committee voted no, Dublin and Francestown representatives will be allowed to prepare a minority report.

If the state approves withdrawal, the proposals would go to a vote in March. Withdrawal can pass either by majority vote in a town looking to withdraw and across the district as a whole, or by three-fifths vote in a town seeking to withdraw, unless three-fifths of voters across the district disapprove.