Letter: Dublin needs your help

In March 2024, voters in the ConVal School District soundly defeated an article proposed by the ConVal School Board to close Dublin's elementary school and those of three other towns.

In response, ConVal announced in December 2024 that it planned to combine elementary school grades and eliminate teaching positions. This plan can only exacerbate the unacceptable academic performance of ConVal students in kindergarten through sixth grade. In 2024, Dublin elementary pupils again performed poorly on state achievement tests. Only 48% were found proficient in reading and 30% in math.

Dublin's plan to exit ConVal and form its own school district was unanimously approved the NH State Board of Education in November 2024. We believe that regaining ownership and control of our elementary school will allow us to improve our children's academic performance in their foundational years by introducing a more-rigorous curriculum and providing more resources for our teachers.Temple's representative to the ConVal School Board, Jim Kingston, took a very principled position when he told the Temple School Study Committee in December 2024: "Even though it's going to cost us a bit more, I can't vote to deny a town the right to educate its children."

It is in this spirit that we humbly and respectfully ask you to vote yes on Dublin's withdrawal from ConVal on March 11.

Leo Plante

Dublin