By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

The Hooksett School Board is faced with the unpleasant task of cutting about $245,000 in proposed yearly expenses after voters rejected a budget proposal by just 30 votes last month.

At their Tuesday, April 4, meeting, school board members discussed the possibility of removing a social studies teacher position, funds for Project Safeguard, field trips, a kindergarten teacher position, a guidance position and all after-school activities.

SAU 15 Superintendent Armand LaSelva presented the board with a list of possible programs and positions to ax, including an advanced learner program, one the school board has pushed for in recent years.

School Board member Ron Dion reticently introduced the idea of keeping the advanced learner program, at the sacrifice of after-school activities.

“I can’t disagree that our focus has to be what’s going on in the school day,” replied LaSelva. “But if you’re looking at the whole child, (the after-school) component is very important.”

School board member Jim Sullivan said the advanced learner program would likely affect fewer Hooksett students than would after-school activities.

“I think we need to be a little wary of that,” he said.

The board didn’t officially make any cuts, and asked LaSelva to come to the next meeting with a comprehensive list of expenses that could be eliminated.

Last March, Hooksett voters rejected the district’s proposed operating budget, but the board held a second School District Meeting, at which the budget – then slimmed down by $100,000 – passed.

Sullivan praised the district for dealing with several default budgets in recent years.

“There is an impact,” he said, but, “from the inside looking in, Hooksett’s doing its job.”

Last month, Hooksett voters also rejected a new three-year contract for its teachers.

At the school board’s March 21 meeting, members questioned a letter sent to Hooksett residents by the budget committee that spoke out against the raise, according to minutes.

School Board Chairman Joanne McHugh said the letter “crossed the line” and contained “numerous inaccuracies,” and Sullivan described it as “dirty pool,” according to minutes.

“Discussion ensued relative to the legality of the letter and the sentiment that the letter was in response to the second vote held last year ‘even though it was within the law to hold the revote,’” minutes of the March 21 meeting read.

The school board withheld any discussion on the budget committee letter at its most recent meeting, though the letter was listed as a discussion topic on the agenda.