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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, the School Administrative Unit 74 (SAU74) held a public hearing for the 2020-2021 School Budget at the Barrington Middle School Auditoria. Besides the School Superintendent, select administrative staff, and the School Board itself, there were less than 20 people in attendance for this important hearing.
From the perspective of this reporter, the presentation of the proposed budget was well executed and well delivered. The budget for SAU74 encompasses children from the preschool age to high school. Because Barrington does not have its own high school, students can choose between Coe Brown in Northwood, Oyster River High School in Durham, or Dover High. The school district pays the tuition and transportation for high school attendance.
The handout provided the Goals and Priorities for the year, the Accomplishments from last year, which included a significant improvement in Math and Reading, and the fact that the Barrington Elementary School has been recognized for NH Excellence in Education (EDiesAward). The budget process itself was reviewed as well as facts and figures that help the viewer understand the budget numbers, such as Enrollment History, Projected Enrollment for 2020/2021, and cost per student for education at the Barrington Schools as well as Barrington’s three receiving high schools.
Of most interest was the Challenges slide. Noted were Systematic interventions in all schools, Increasing enrollment at the preschool and High School levels, the need for new revenue sources, and Mental Health support and resources (an area of need for all of New Hampshire).
To address the challenges of enrollment an additional preschool teacher position has been proposed. This cost will be partially offset by the ability to support more tuition students, but the primary drivers for the need of the teacher are the increased demand for 3-5-year-old children required special education supports and services.
Another proposed position is for a Social Worker for the district. This position is to bridge the gap between what the guidance counselors cover in the day to day of school, and the needs that children in more intense situations (clinical and social) have in our current society. Things like homelessness, social family breakdown, direct and indirect effects of substance abuse, interventional identification, and training in mental health situations like anxiety, and learning disabilities. Since these are societal issues impacting our entire country, the school district is looking for other funding streams to assist in covering these costs.
Other budget drivers include High School Tuition, Retirement Commitments, Contractual Obligations, a new Transportation Contract, Food Service Contract increase and the two new positions proposed. It should be noted that three of the grants traditionally received by SAU74 have decreased as well, one by a reallocation to support high schools, the other by a new state formula, and the third due to budgetary reasons.
There are four Capital Reserve Accounts – High School Tuition, Special Education, Technology, and Facilities. Money in these accounts can only be used for their respective designated purposes.
There are also four warrant articles up for consideration. The Paraprofessional Contract (3yr Collective Bargaining Agreement), A question if that article is defeated if the governing body can call a special meeting to address said contract’s cost items, a request to contribute additional money to both Facilities Capital Reserve and High School Tuition Capital Reserve utilizing, if applicable, only surplus funds from the budget and not to come from additional taxation.
Click on the following link for the presentation materials and budget proposal.
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- Written by Kat Roedell
- Category: Articles
One of the hidden gems of Barrington is the Nippo Lake Golf Club and Restaurant. The Golf Club was founded in 1964, and like many places in New England repurposed an existing old building. The restaurant is in an old summer house, that used to be attached to an old colonial home that had been built in the early 1900s. Located at 88 Stagecoach Rd Barrington, NH 03825, the establishment is a well-groomed property, with sweeping views of the Blue Hills Mountain Range. The view is amazing, and the renovations inside take advantage of the beauty, bringing it inside with a bank of lovely windows.
Other changes inside the building include a relocation of the bar, which now sweeps around the interior of the building, and the bathrooms have been moved to the first floor, making them handicapped accessible.
The facility hosts weddings, banquets, and other functions, as well as golf club amenities. The deck holds 24, the bar 26, and the main dining area holds 100. In fact, the Greater Barrington Chamber of Commerce, holds its monthly membership meetings the first Wednesday of every month, usually from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.
The Golf Club hosts the Chamber’s annual Golf Tournament and is highly involved as a Chamber member. As well as Chamber meetings, there are live bands and bluegrass music on Sundays. The calendar of events can be found here.
The chef and his crew at the restaurant offer a diverse range of food, which is high quality and quite tasty. The servers are timely and helpful, the views amazing – this is a great place to take a date, meet with friends or dine with the family.
If you’re not a member, stop in and view the changes, enjoy the updated atmosphere and discover one of the hidden treasures of Barrington.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
DURHAM, N.H.—The Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire has been awarded a four-year grant from the National Institute of Justice to track trends in the incidence of crimes, offenders and victims in cases involving technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation. This is the fourth in a series of studies conducted by the CCRC since 2000.
“Technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation crimes, like child pornography possession, can grow and change quickly,” said Kimberly Mitchell, research associate professor of psychology and the study’s director. “Such rapid changes are unusual in criminal justice and social science research, and that means we need to closely monitor this volatile environment so law enforcement can respond.”
The new research will help the criminal justice system track dynamics that are not always apparent or picked up on by other criminal justice data collection systems.
The study involves conducting interviews with a national sample of police investigators. It will identify whether the training, legislative and policy changes in approaches to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation crimes are having a positive impact. Findings will also help determine whether there are some new or growing technology-facilitated crime types that need greater attention.
The National Institute of Justice is the research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice. Mitchell will head up the research team in partnership with the National Criminal Justice Training Center, the main training and technical assistance provider for the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces.
The Crimes against Children Research Center conducts research to help policy makers, practitioners and the public improve the response to a wide range of crimes against children from sexual abuse to gun violence.
The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation, and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health, and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation’s highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea, and space.
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- Written by Patrick R. McElhiney
- Category: Articles
ROCHESTER, NH - Brox Industries, Inc.'s Rochester Plant 6 is a recipient of the National Asphalt Pavement Association's (NAPA) 2019 Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in Asphalt Plant/Site Operations for its dedication to responsible practices and high-quality products.
"The awards that Brox receives is a testament to the tireless work of our employees, their knack for innovation, and their can-do spirit" said Brox Industries, Inc. Plant Manager Bob Norkiewicz. "We’re a team of problem solvers."
The nationally recognized Diamond Achievement Commendation program was developed in 1999, and assesses five areas of an asphalt plant, including environmental practices, safety, appearance, operations, and community relations.
Peers within the industry choose the winners of these awards, which recognize responsible asphalt plant operations and encourage strong community relations.
NAPA’s Chairman John Harper stated about the award program, "Earning the Diamond Achievement Commendation enhances both the image of your individual facility and the image of the asphalt pavement industry. It clearly demonstrates a corporate commitment to excellence with a community focus.”
Brox has been awarded numerous NAPA Diamond Achievement Commendations for Excellence in Hot Mix Asphalt Plant/Site Operations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with its Rochester Plant 6 earning recognition for six consecutive honors.
For more information about Brox Industries, Inc., visit http://www.broxindustries.com/.
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