By mid-November, Nashua residents should have a pretty good idea of what will happen, namely, to Mount Pleasant Elementary School in the city’s North End and whether the School District decides to consolidate some schools. Nashua’s elementary and middle schools face a persistent decline in enrollment and are operating below capacity.
Harriman Architect and Design, headquartered in Auburn, Maine, has been working with the Nashua School District to study the needs of our 17 active schools. Many neighborhood residents are nostalgic for historic Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, which opened its doors in 1924, but aging schools require extensive repairs and maintenance.
This Wednesday evening (Oct. 21), the Board of Education will present the study’s findings on the city’s school facilities and the options available. A public hearing will follow on Oct. 28, and a board vote is scheduled for Nov.16.
Nashua isn’t the only New Hampshire community experiencing enrollment decreases. Despite fewer students attending our schools, the cost of education keeps soaring, as Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess recently said at City Hall. He blames most of it on the powers that be at the State House and how they view public school education. By the way, the Granite State now ranks at the very bottom nationally for the percentage of public education revenue provided by state funding.
“We’ve recently learned that the school aid Nashua will receive is going to be more than $4 million less than in the prior fiscal year,” Donchess explained. “In proposing our budget here, we assumed it would mean a $2 million decrease, but it turns out it’s going to be approximately $4.5 million. That’s very unfortunate. It reflects, I believe, a lack of support at the state level for New Hampshire’s children and property taxpayers.”
The mayor went on to say, “Yet the Vouchers program is up 600% in five years, now at a projected $64 million for the fiscal year. Instead, I believe that money should be directed into the public school system. We see property taxes skyrocketing across the state because of rising school costs, like special education and transportation, which are going up way more than the rate of inflation … I just wanted to let the Board of Aldermen know we have a $2 million problem. Of course, we’ll cover it with property taxes.”
Yup, many fellow Nashuans dread that December property tax bill that will arrive in the mail: Happy Hanukkah; Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate; that’s not quite the “gift” you want to receive. It can quickly dampen the festive spirit, especially when an increase is on the way.
Here’s another thing: In a couple of weeks, as Granite Staters head to the polls, they will be asked yes or no (on a ballot question) to limit spending on schools and administrative costs in their communities. Gov. Kelly Ayotte and other State House Republicans have described it as a property tax cap. But some residents don’t believe that is the way to solve the state’s education funding problem.
Let’s end on a happy note: Nashua Ward 2 Alderman Richard Dowd, the longtime Chairman of the Joint Special School Building Committee, recently attended the American Institute of Architects Design Awards event in Concord.
Congratulations to Harriman Architects and Harvey Construction of Bedford for their collaborative success in receiving the Citation Award for Excellence in Architectural Design for the Brian S. McCarthy Middle School!
Dowd added: “The city should be proud that our building has been recognized nationally.”
Way to go!
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