I recently attended the Act 46 school consolidation informational meeting in Westminster for the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Schools. I have had my doubts about Act 46 and consolidating schools since the legislature passed the bill in haste over a year ago. The informational meeting did not in any way alleviate my concerns.
School consolidation would combine the governance of the elementary and secondary schools of Westminster with the towns of Rockingham, Grafton, and Athens.
The local town school boards would be replaced by a larger 10-member consolidated board comprised of members voted on by all the towns (Rockingham, five members; Westminster, three members; Athens and Grafton, one member each). All governance and budget decisions would be controlled by the new consolidated board.
As a Westminster resident and parent of two children at Westminster Center School, I would like to explain my opposition.