AD Spooks Board on Football Coop

This is a report on the March 16, 2016 school board meeting.

Coop Football with Portsmouth In Doubt

After tonight's board meeting, I'd say it's much less likely we will form a Divison 1 cooperative football team with Portsmouth High School.  This is because Athletic Director Parker confirmed that board approval of the NHIAA application for a cooperative team implies that the schools intend to form individual teams when conditions allow.

Until tonight's meeting, my reading of the board was they intended to approve the cooperative.  It seemed a great compromise.  ORHS kids who wanted could play football at PHS.  Oyster River High School doesn't host a team.  At the board's request, the agreement was redrafted to explicitly indicate no Oyster River money and no Oyster River insurance would be involved.  Several board members made statements indicating their vote for the cooperative did not imply they supported a team at Oyster River High School.  It was poised to pass.

Portsmouth has already said it intends to dissolve the cooperative when it can support a Division 2 team.  Apparently there is a possibility that NHIAA will add a fourth division soon, which would let Portsmouth have its wish.  We could be looking at just one season of cooperative football before we would be faced with the question of football at ORHS, to which the board will have already committed.

Three years ago, football at ORHS was addressed head on.  Having the field solves one problem. But it was clear then that the money, Title IX, and safety concerns added up to make approval impossible. Judging by tonight's discussion, that still seems to be the case.

About 10 people, mostly middle school students, spoke in favor of the football cooperative.  The students were very impressive.  It's really hard to stand and talk at that podium, especially the first time.  They all did great.  We should be very proud of these kids.

Actually, I thought the kids were more persuasive than the parents.  Former board member Krista Butts at times seemed to be scolding the board.  Coach Willie Ouellette seemed to belittle the board for tasking Athletic Director Parker to gather more information.  But ultimately the public comments didn't matter.

The only public comment against was from Dr. Bob Barth, who reiterated safety concerns.  But it was his wife, board member Maria Barth, who dealt the decisive blow.  Member Barth, like her husband, is known to be against football.  Before tonight, she was probably the only vote against the football cooperative.  She was the one who questioned AD Parker directly about the implications of board approval of the application.  To his credit, AD Parker answered forthrightly, even though his answer seriously damaged the prospects of a football program he supports.

Ms. Barth moved to get the issue off the board table and onto the March 2017 ballot, when the voters could decide.  No second was forthcoming.  At the time, football supporters were hoping for a quick approval that evening.  They might want to reconsider the ballot alternative in light of what happened.


Congratulations Chair Newkirk and Vice Chair Day

As this was the first meeting after the election, the board had to choose officers.   Newly reelected Tom Newkirk was unanimously voted Chair by the board.  This will be Tom's third term as Chair.  Denise Day was elected Vice Chair.  Al Howland, the former Vice Chair, said he wasn't interested remaining in the position because he was just elected to the Durham town council.

Congratulations to Superintendent Morse as well.  He got a 2.5% raise and his contract extended another year.

Congratulations to the new student member, a junior named Troy LaPolice.


Principal Search Progressing

The superintendent reported that a leadership committee has whittled the I believe 14 applications for high school principal down to six.  A committee of teachers, administrators and parents will interview the applicants next Tuesday.    After the interviews come site visits to the candidates' schools and reference checking.  The plan is to recommend two candidates to the board, and they make the ultimate choice.  It might get done by April 6.  We're early; nothing stops us from opening up the process again if none of the candidates is satisfactory.

I want to say a personal thank you to Superintendent Morse for his kind words when he announced I would be on the committee.  I can't say much more than that because they made me sign a non-disclosure agreement.

The principal job became vacant when Todd Allen was promoted to Assistant Superintendent.  Dean of Students Mike McCann currently serves as acting principal.

Start Time Process Lengthened

The board held a workshop on the start time issue last week (unusually detailed minutes from the superintendent).  I thought the intent was to come up with one or two detailed plans to frame the community discussion.   Instead, what came out of the meeting was a bunch of doubts about doing it at all.  There's now a plan to survey teachers, and they're talking about surveying parents as well.  Of course, it helps to have the possible plans in hand so you can ask about them in the survey, but they didn't generate any.

It's always seemed to me that it was the will of the board to get this one done.  Now I think whether it happens will depend on community sentiment. Here's the facebook group in favor.



Field Construction Commencing - Indoor Graduation June 10

The district isn't wasting any time getting started on the new field.  Assistant Superintendent Allen reported that there may be contractors on the current field within the next couple of weeks.

Acting Principal McCann announced graduation date is June 10, 2016.  The superintendent has committed to this date even with a serious storm expected on Monday.

There will be a meeting to discuss having graduation indoors.  Besides the usual weather concerns, field construction might interfere with outdoor plans.


Middle School Buy In

Member Barth stated that it was time to seriously bring up the issues surrounding the middle school with the community.  Some board members are looking at architectural drawings for a new school while most of the public knows nothing about the upcoming expense.  Stay tuned for more about this.