Search Results

Keyword search: Merrimack Valley School District

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

A deeply divided Merrimack Valley community narrowly approved a nearly $2 million reduction to next year’s proposed school budget late Thursday night, plunging the 2,200-student district into a period of uncertainty.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

The Merrimack Valley School District will eliminate 21 positions next year in response to a $2 million reduction to the district’s proposed budget, administrators announced Monday.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

To stave off teacher layoffs, Merrimack Valley School Board members indicated Wednesday that they may support charging families for school sports, forgoing certain building maintenance and halting a program that provides each elementary student a computer.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

For nearly two weeks, Merrimack Valley High School teachers said they’ve been left to wonder whether they’ll have jobs next year.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

When Terese Bastarache returned to her truck after last year’s Merrimack Valley School District annual meeting, she cried.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Four days after voters approved a $2 million reduction to the Merrimack Valley School District’s budget for next year, board members clashed with their superintendent over who would have the final say over cuts.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Boscawen’s Patrick Sadlemire, on the ballot for a three-year seat on the Merrimack Valley School Board, announced on Tuesday that he was dropping out of the race.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Merrimack Valley School Board Chair Tracy Bricchi accused some district residents of “border[ing] on libel” at the conclusion of a contentious budget hearing Tuesday that saw some attendees call out the board and its administrators for what they described as a lack of transparency and accountability.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Friday morning to note that the minutes for one of the meetings described were updated following this story’s publication.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

The Merrimack Valley School District exceeded its approved budget by more than $2 million last school year, the superintendent acknowledged this week, more than two months after district administrators became aware of the full extent of the shortfall.

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

The town of Boscawen is currently without representation on the Merrimack Valley School Board after both members from the town resigned in the last three months.Loren Martin stepped down on Sunday due to what board Chair Tracy Bricchi described as...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Merrimack Valley High School senior Keighen Duppong knows attending the University of New Hampshire would likely cost thousands of dollars less per year than most of the schools on his college list.Duppong, who plans to study applied physics, has sent...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

A proposal by district administrators to raise meal prices in Merrimack Valley schools was temporarily tabled by the school board on Monday, with some members expressing concern that any increase could further hamstring families who are struggling to...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Moo-ve over, class fish and hamsters. Merrimack Valley Middle School math teacher Becky King has adopted a cow.Bonnie, a Brown Swiss dairy cow, does not literally live in King’s sixth-grade classroom, but her presence is very much felt. The...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Hopkinton School Board members erupted in anger at the state Legislature over news delivered earlier this month that school districts would receive significantly less money to cover certain special education expenses than they are eligible to...

By CATHERINE McLAUGHLIN

Concord’s property tax rate rose 3.1% to $27.69 in 2024, while Penacook’s rate will be to $30.64, a heftier jump of 5.1%.Both communities pay the city tax rate, this year $9.84, and the county tax rate, but each has its own local school tax rate and...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Merrimack Valley Middle School paraprofessional Robin O’Dougherty was three practices into a professional baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies organization when a knee injury ended his dreams of making it to the major leagues.That misfortune...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Merrimack Valley’s bus driver shortage grew so dire on Monday that Superintendent Randy Wormald found himself behind the wheel of a van en-route to Loudon.“We’re paper thin and have everyone driving,” Wormald said. “If I’m driving a van, we’re getting...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

The Merrimack Valley School Board voted Monday to transfer approximately $1.1 million from two trust funds to cover gaps in special education and capital improvement expenses that have arisen since voters approved the district’s $48.3 million...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

When Cali Rollins showed up to her first Merrimack Valley Middle School softball practice in 2023, she had little idea of the legacy that preceded her. But when her mother, Morgan Mahon, emailed her daughter’s new coach that spring, Tom Burke had...

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

With rising costs and in some cases single-digit class sizes, Merrimack Valley School Board member Loren Martin questioned whether the district should explore consolidating schools across the district.“I understand all of the emotional aspects that...