Here’s your recap of the Monday, May 12, Board of School Committee meeting. You can find the agenda for the meeting here: https://5il.co/3fmk6. Video from the meeting by Manchester Public Television is here: https://bit.ly/4kmDrCo. As a reminder, we provide live updates from full board meetings at https://x.com/mansd_nh.
Pre-meeting music
Prior to Monday night’s meeting, the combined West High/Parkside Chamber Orchestra performed. The group, led by teacher Chris Noyes, did an outstanding job. You can watch the performance via Manchester Public Television at the start of the meeting video: https://bit.ly/4kmDrCo.
Public hearings
Prior to the start of the regular meeting, there were two public hearings -- one on a donation of signage for the Welcome Center and the other on the final budget allocation for the district for the 2025-2026 school year. The budget is on the action agenda for tonight’s meeting and the donation is in the consent agenda. As no one was signed up to speak for either hearing, those special meetings opened and closed quickly.
Pledge of Allegiance
The regular meeting kicked off as always with students leading the Pledge of Allegiance. For this meeting, we were joined by three students from Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary School leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
Prior to the meeting, students Brayden, Keagan and Ian had an opportunity to meet Mayor Ruais and check out his office, too. Thank you to the students and to Principal Matthews for joining us. Thank you also to Board members Spillers and Baines for introducing the students.
Recognitions
Our recognition for Monday’s meeting is for Southside Middle School 7th Grader Alice Lonergan, who won the 2025 NH Daughters of the American Revolution historical essay contest. The essay prompt was a first-person account of the lesser-known tea parties 250 years ago in Edenton and Wilmington, North Carolina. Congratulations, Alice!
Action agenda
There are no presentations tonight, so we are on to the sole item on the action agenda: approval of the fiscal year 2026 general fund budget for Manchester School District. The board approved the final allocation, as approved by the Board of mayor and Aldermen on May 6.
Superintendent Chmiel presented updated recommendations to revise the district’s fiscal year 2026 budget, however after lengthy discussion, the board asked that the topic be moved to a special meeting. That meeting will take place on Monday, May 19, at 7 pm in the Aldermanic Chambers.
Consent agenda
The consent agenda was fairly brief, including items from the Policy Committee as well as approval of donations. The consent agenda was approved in full. You can find all of the information in the agenda packet: https://5il.co/3d9g1.
Communications and adjournment
Following several updates during district and board communications, the meeting moved to non-public session was later adjourned.
The next regular meeting of the board is Tuesday, May 27.