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Letters
Region
Obituaries
Abstract Paintings & Tribal Masks Exhibition At New Hampshire Antique Co-Op
Now on view through May 31, 2020
Congregational Church Stays Connected
During the suspension of in-person activities in light of the Covid-19 situation, the Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC has a variety of ways for members and others to connect with church programs. This is especially important during April as Holy Week and Easter are on the horizon.
The most up-to-date information about church activities can be found on the church’s website (ccamherst.org) or by calling the church office at 673-3231. Sunday services are broadcast on FacebookLive and recorded for later on-line viewing. Services are followed by a Virtual Fellowship Hour. Links for these and other events can be found on the website.
The church’s Facebook page is another source of information, including updates and video messages from the pastors. Pastors Maureen Frescott and Kate Kennedy are available to provide pastoral care during this time, and the church welcomes community members to connect with this loving, serving, open and affirming community of faith.
Lorraine Alice Hamilton
AMHERST – Lorraine Alice Hamilton of Amherst, New Hampshire, Beach Haven, New Jersey and Rancho Mirage, California died June 14, 2020 from pancreatic cancer at her home in California. She was 73 years old and a participant in the trial of a new cancer drug at NYU Langone in New York City since April 2019. She hoped that results from the trial would improve care for other patients who develop this cancer. She was with her family when she died and was
Donald Richard Haaker
Donald Richard Haaker, 80, born June 2, 1940, son of Carl E Haaker and Jeanne LaRochelle Haaker of Fitchburg, MA, son, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, peacefully passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, MA.
Don, as he was affectionately referred to by friends, and Dad or Grandpa by family, was a proud veteran, avid fisherman, former business owner, collector of “As Seen On TV” gadgets, and
Letters
Amherst School Board
Joint Facilities Advisory Committee Update
To the editor:
The month of March was busy for the Joint Facilities Advisory Committee (JFAC) and its related subcommittees. Through the next year, until voting day 2022 and beyond, JFAC will provide monthly updates to the Amherst School Board, at board meetings and in board communications to the public, such as in these letters and on social media.
Public Relations Committee
The PR committee is creating an in-depth calendar to outline the plan and the resources needed to promote this project to the Amherst community. There are several mediums the committee will use to seek more information from voters - website, videos, social media, mailings, Nixle updates, and more.
The beginning of April kicked off the campaign with two initiatives - a postcard sent to every household in Amherst and a video to introduce voters to JFAC. Keep an eye on your mailbox for the postcard and be sure to check out the video and website (JFAC.SAU39.org) for more information.
Clark School Exploration Committee
The Clark School Exploration subcommittee has been tasked with gathering input from community experts and stakeholders on possible ways to utilize the Clark School building and site should the new elementary school bond pass next year.
The committee has met virtually with various stakeholders groups including town representatives, neighbors of the Clark property, and many residents to gather input and will continue this mission in the coming months. A presentation of findings is planned for the May JFAC meeting to be followed up with the June Amherst School Board meeting.
If you have additional feedback about the future of the Clark property, please join us for the public comments session at our next board meeting.
Facilities Project Team
This group has been active for months, reviewing conceptual designs, analyzing costs, and continuing to line up the next steps of the project. The first of these important steps is underway as a request for proposals (RFP) has been sent to architects across New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. The RFP is designed to find an architect who will take our conceptual drawings and lead us into the next phase of the project. You can find details of the RFP on the SAU 39 website.
For further updates, visit JFAC.SAU39.org and Facebook.com/JointFacilities Facebook.com/JointFacilities.
Start time and School Calendar Changes: All district boards have voted to change the school start times in the fall. The new school schedule is:
Clark-Wilkins - 7:45 a.m.- 2:15 p.m.
Amherst Middle School - 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
The first day of school is now August 31st with students attending three days of school before Labor Day weekend. After guidance from the state, February vacation is now scheduled for February 28th-March 4th. The SAU is working to identify community needs for before and after school care options. A survey will be available soon to gauge the needs of our families.
Budget: A reminder that our deliberative session will now be held on May 4th. Further details on location and Covid protocols are forthcoming. The later voting day and deliberative will allow us to review our budget items one last time at our April 5th meeting, using actual health insurance costs and more concrete enrollment numbers, rather than estimates. If you were not able to attend the live meeting, you can watch our discussion on the SAU YouTube Page.
Policy Review: We are beginning our annual review of policies. The policies that will be under review this summer are open for public comment until June 1st. The list of policies to be reviewed can be found on the Policy Committee section of the SAU website. Feel free to send comments regarding any policies up for review to the current policy chairperson ekuzsma@sau39.org.
Remember that you can always reach out to the board regarding any concerns either at public comment or by emailing asb@sau39.org. All emails to the board are considered public record and added to our board minutes.
Upcoming Meetings:
April 6 - Amherst School District Ways and Means 7 p.m.
April 22 - SAU Board Meeting 6 p.m.
May 4 - Amherst School District Deliberative Session 7 p.m.
May 10 - Amherst School Board Meeting 6 p.m.
May 13 - JFAC Meeting 6 p.m.
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Sincerely,
Elizabeth Kuzsma, Chair
Tom Gauthier, Vice Chair
Terri Behm
Josh Conklin
Ellen Grudzien
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