By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

With students heading home for the summer, the Epsom School Board members were still hard at work at their Wednesday, June 15, meeting.

The board appointed new member Barbara Doughty, indefinitely shelved the idea of a comprehensive eighth-grade exit exam, and affirmed parents that Epsom Central School's kindergarten program will continue through the 2005- 06 school year, said school board Chairman Andrew Turnbull.

All three of the issues drew fire from some 45 parents and teachers at the board's last meeting on June 1, though at that meeting the board told the public kindergarten was safe for 2005-06.

Kindergarten "There was still some uncertainty," said Turnbull after the June 15 meeting. At the meeting, Turnbull read a prepared letter assuring attendees that kindergarten was safe.

"I wanted to lay to rest any doubts and let people know that kindergarten is, unequivocally, safe for '05-06," he said.

As for the kindergarten program in future years, Turnbull said the yearly budget process makes any definitive answers impossible.

"Any prospective discussion beyond the '05-06 year is speculation at best," said Turnbull. "We just don't know. We want to stick to the things that we do know about."

Turnbull added that the future of the 2006-07 kindergarten will be easier to determine in October.

Exams
While kindergarten is in for next year, a comprehensive eighth-grade exit exam is indefinitely out, said Turnbull.

The idea was originally suggested by board member Gordon Ellis, who on June 1 said the test would allow the board and administration to determine exactly what it is students are learning on a yearly basis. At that meeting, several Epsom Central School teachers vehemently questioned the need for such an exam.

The possibility of the exam has now been "suspended indefinitely," said Turnbull, "until the board members can look at all of the testing that's out there already; do their due diligence, so to speak."

New board member
The board was greeted by about 50 people at its last meeting. They were also met by a legal letter from a Concord Monitor attorney, said Turnbull.

He said the board had originally planned on conducting interviews for the open board member position in private, but made interviews public upon receipt of the letter.

"We went into public to play it safe," said Turnbull, adding that the board "didn't have the luxury of an attorney" present.

Of six applicants for the open slot - which runs only until the next March election - five were interviewed at the meeting.

Doughty was appointed as the board's fifth member, garnering two votes. Tom Small earned one vote. Ellis abstained from voting since he wasn't present during all of the interviews, Turnbull said.

Though the board opened interviews to the public, Turnbull said the vote was held by secret ballot, in order to get members. true sentiments. He said the secret ballot prompted a Right to Know request from the Monitor's attorney.

"I'm thrilled with the selection," said Turnbull, who plans to leave the board after this term after five years of service. "I hope she'll (Doughty) run for a three-year seat."

Turnbull added that the board was looking for someone with "an abiding concern for education, and a commitment to the progress that the board has made over the years."

Doughty's seat will be one of three to be decided next March, said Turnbull, as he and member Bill Yeaton will be leaving.

The board's next meeting, a goals session, will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at Epsom Central School.