WHS Stands Pat, Won't Follow Landslide Vote

Not all of Winnacunnet High School's core subjects will be taught as full-year courses in the 2013-'14 school year as town meeting voters requested, as the Winnacunnet School Board didn't vote Wednesday to stray from the plan set forth by school administrators.

Some classes will become yearlong courses next year, although the majority of the changes — designed to improve knowledge retention and test scores — won't happen until the 2014-'15 school year when WHS makes the shift to a six-period day.

Wayne Skoglund — who was succeeded as chairman of the school board Wednesday by Chris Muns following the annual post-town meeting reorganizational vote — said he agreed with the intent of Article 6, a town meeting-approved petitioned warrant article calling for the implementation of full yearlong core courses in 2013-'14, although he said he won't "rush" the plan because he feels it's best to "get it done right" and without "errors."

Muns agreed. He acknowledged that while the voters may have "spoken" overwhelmingly through a on a nonbinding, advisory article submitted by former board member Denyse Richter, he said it would be "much too disruptive to the Winnacunnet community" to make changes next year.

"There's a certain amount of momentum that's been happening that can't be stopped," said Muns, speaking to the fact that students have been selecting courses since early February and staffing levels for next year — which would have to change with full yearlong core courses — have already been approved. "We’re kind of past the point of no return on 2013-'14. If we want to do something, let’s focus on '14-'15. Let’s set a deadline and see what we can come up with."

Board member Maria Brown made a motion Wednesday to mandate administrators make schedule changes in accordance to the results of Article 6, although the motion was defeated because it failed to get a second.

McGowan said implementing yearlong courses in all math, English, science and social studies classes in 2013-'14 would "greatly increase graduation requirements" across the board and make it "impossible" for many students to meet requirements in other subjects.

Brown called the delay another example of WHS "dragging its feet," while Richter blasted the decision because she feels it's a slap in the face to local voters.

"Computers will be out of date at the rate you're going," said Richter. "You can't just say, 'The public asked for 'a,' but we’re going to give them 'b' and they’ll be satisfied.' I hope they won’t be. Shame on you as elected officials."

Not all members of the public were against the decision Wednesday not to follow the advisory warrant article, though.

"I want to applaud the board for deciding to wait [to implement yearlong courses until] the NEASC report and take that into account for the future year," said Mark McFarlin, a Hampton resident, Hampton Budget Committee member and a teacher at North Hampton School.

TEACHING PERIODS ALSO WON'T CHANGE

The yearlong courses decision wasn't the only town meeting-related stance made Wednesday. The Winnacunnet School Board also won't force teachers to fully adhere to their contracts in accordance to Article 7, a petitioned warrant article that passed 3,687-1,036 on March 12, because McGowan said "the teachers are working to their contract."

McGowan and most of the school board also argued that enforcing a change could place WHS in legal trouble, in addition to the fact that the Article 7 vote isn't binding.

Brown, Richter and others who want to turn one period of professional development time into another teaching period claimed otherwise, stating there's overstaffing in the current schedule format and that administrators should enforce more teaching periods — regardless of the legal ramifications.

"If it costs money to fight it, I think the public has said, 'Go ahead, call that bluff and fight it,'" said Richter. "Of course [McGowan's] going to say [teachers are adhering to the contract]."

Muns said the school board "absolutely" needs to look at teachers' schedules as the shift is made to a six-period day, and Muns requested Wednesday that administrators should disclose "very specific" recommendations and "details" about the teaching period structure "by June."

The next Winnacunnet School Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17.