The Keene School Board's Policy Committee heard a proposed policy for reducing staff on Tuesday, which they sent back for some additional work. The current policy specifies that any reduction in staffing is by seniority within a given certification. Human Resources Director Paul Cooper proposed that teachers be retained based on fair and consistent procedures and with the best interests of the students in mind, not necessarily by how long they've been with the district. The Policy Committee asked Cooper to return next month with some defined criteria for determining what constitutes the best teachers. Committee chair Anne Szot pointed out that the review of this policy was not related to the recent cut of 550-thousand dollars from the budget.
The Committee also voted Tuesday evening to recommend a policy change regarding parental objections to course material. Thanks to a recent law enacted by the New Hampshire Legislature, parents or guardians may request that a student receive alternative instruction. Taking the advice of School District attorney John Wrigley, the Policy Committee proposed that the request must be in writing, and that any costs for such alternative learning be paid for by the parents or guardians. The law does not require the objecting parent or guardian to explain any curriculum changes they request.
In other news from February 1st:
The first entrants are on the books for the Keene School Board election in March. Only one of the incumbents whose terms are expiring has filed. Carl Panza is one of the first two entries for the board election; newcomer Diane Cyr is the other. Both filed for the election Monday, 4 days into the filing period which runs through 4:30 Friday afternoon. Board Chair Kathleen O'Donnell and Kristin Blais both have let it be known they will not seek new three-year terms on the Board. No entrant yet, for the two-year position of school district Clerk.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Concord has given approval to the sale of the assets of Kingsbury Corporation. For more than 100 years, the manufacturer operated out of Keene, making metal parts for machines which made automobiles. While the machinery and patents were purchased by Opimation Technology for $3.1 million, the property itself was not purchased. The final price was about half a million dollars higher than the original deal, which had drawn objections from creditors and workers owed money The sale will pay some sixty remaining workers about a third of what is owed to them for work last year. Kingsbury plans to put the Laurel Street property on the market shortly.
The New Hampshire House is considering a bill to make illegal immigrants foot the full bill at state colleges. The House votes Wednesday on a bill requiring in-state students to prove they are also legal residents of the United States. Proponents assume a student would have to sign an affidavit and provide documentation as they do to prove state residency. Opponents argue any child who grew up in New Hampshire and graduated from its schools should be afforded in-state tuition. The only current in-state tuition requirement is to have lived in New Hampshire for at least 12 months prior to registering.
Fallout from a New Hampshire Primary Day voter-fraud expose stunt will redevelop tomorrow in Concord. A coalition of groups for increased voter accountability plan to deliver what they claim are over 100,000 petition signatures to Attorney General Michael Delaney, demanding an investigation of the actions by activist James O'Keefe. He video-recorded people obtaining ballots at several polling places, using the names of recently deceased voters. So far as is known, none of the ballots actually was cast, but the petitioners say the actions still constitute vote fraud. The want not only Delaney but also US Attorney John Kacavas to look into the video stunt.
Former GOP Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has fired off a heated denial of a Boston Globe story this morning which says she is on the verge of endorsing Mitt Romney for the nomination. Bachmann insists there have been no talks with Romney staff about an endorsement, and implies her only endorsement will be for the eventual nominee, whether Romney or his only remaining major rival, Newt Gingrich.
Results are in from the latest round of student acheivement testing in New Hampshire, and as usual, it's a mixed bag. But the gains outweigh the declines. The overall scores showed 67 percent of students tested under No Child Left Behind requirements scored as "Proficient" in math, up two percent from last year. Reading proficiency also is up two percent from the previous round of tests, at 67 percent. But scores overall in writing testing for 5th, 8th and 11th-graders declined a point from the year before, at 54 percent proficiency.
Closing arguments are expected today in the trial of a young man accused of killing a University of New Hampshire student and member of the football team. The prosecution rested its case Tuesday against Kevin McGregor, who has already said he will not testify and his attorney doesn't plan on calling any witnesses. McGregor is accused of shooting to death Todd Walker last year in Boulder, Colorado while the U-N-H student was home. Police say Walker was shot as he tried to protect a friend during an armed robbery.
A warehouse business currently part of Isaacson Steel in Berlin could be under new ownership as soon as today. U.S. Bankruptcy court gave preliminary approval to Presby Steel in Whitefield to buy off part of Isaacson Steel for a quarter of a million dollars, a move which also has the support of state government. Besides the warehouse end of the business, there are also ongoing negotiations for a potential buyer to purchase the land, building and fixtures for Isaacson Structural Steel.
So how would your kids do if they took driver's education online instead of on the road? A bill currently before the Legislature would do that, by giving the online option which would be less expensive. It would let teenagers as young as 15-and-a-half take the online courses. It would also mandate a parent supervise the student in at least 10 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Traditional classroom classes can cost about 600-dollars, which supporters of the bill say results in some less affluent teenagers simply waiting until 18 to get their license with no training at all.
Vermont Yankee's ownership wants the state's Public Service Board to open hearings toward a Certificate of Public Good by which the plant may continue to operate for another 20 years. Entergy Corp officials say a Federal court ruling striking down the state law which blocked PSB approval of that certification, leaves the Board with no legitimate reason NOT to either grant a new CPG or extend the existing one. Entergy officials have formally requested that the PSB schedule the renewed hearing. Even if that hearing hasn't been held by the expiration of Yankee's current certification March 21st, the request for a new hearing should allow it to stay on line till such a hearing is held.
The very same thing that doomed its predecessor is now confirmed in the new Lake Champlain Bridge: cracks. The New York State Department of Transportation confirmed Tuesday cracks in the bridge's concrete pillars. The New York D-O-T says those kinds of cracks are normal in new concrete and do not affect the safety or structural integrity of the bridge, adding the cracks do not need to be repaired. The bridge links Vermont with New York.
It's been nearly two years since teachers in the Rutland Southwest Supervisory Union have worked under a contract. And now, the union is at an impasse with school boards over a new deal. A bargaining session is scheduled for today, with sticking points being different positions on pay and health care contributions. The district includes Poultney, Middletown Springs, Wells and Tinmouth.
When the University of Vermont's beverage contract with Coca-Cola comes to an end, that will also be the end of selling bottled water from vending machines. The ban starts in January next year, and includes ending selling bottled water at campus dining areas. U-V-M says it will save 200-thousand bottles each year. The new policy also calls for one-third of drinks offered in vending machines to be healthy choices. All 75 water fountains on campus will be retrofitted to bottle filling stations.
