SAU#75 Superintendent Newsletter

Dear Grantham School Community,

October was a busy month! The Grantham School District administrative team has been busy preparing the upcoming 2027-28 school budget. Several meetings have occurred across all departments to balance student educational needs with fiscal responsibility. In addition, all administrators have met with me to set their professional goals for this school year. Grantham School District staff participated in professional learning opportunities on October 9th that included understanding aspects of student services, managing student relationships, updating academic competencies, assessing our current reporting system, and integrating the use of artificial intelligence into daily tasks to promote efficiencies. In November and December, the school board will be discussing the proposed budget for the 27-28 school year. These months also bring a variety of seasonal activities for our staff and students. As always, we are grateful for the partnerships and support that surround the Grantham School District.

Sincerely,

Christine Downing, Superintendent

On October 20, 2026, the Grantham School Board held a public hearing to discuss Ballot Question #2 (Local School Tax Levy Cap). A link is provided below to all resources shared during this public hearing. Using Gemini Notebook, an AI generated video was created from the slides presented at the public hearing. That video is also included below. Lastly a summary document was created to outline potential impacts to the Grantham School District. If you have questions, please contact a member of the Grantham School Board or Superintendent Christine Downing (cdowning@sau75.org).

The school board is still seeking a Grantham student representative from grades 9 through 12. The student representative will provide monthly updates to the school board on different student activities, events, and honors. The Grantham School Board typically meets the 1st Tuesday of each month starting at 6:30pm in the Music Room at GVS. Please contact Superintendent Downing at cdowning@sau75.org if you have questions or are interested in applying for this student leadership opportunity. The application is attached below.

Please help us keep our students safe at bus stops! We have been experiencing an increase in reports of motorists not obeying the signals when activated at bus stops. New laws will go into effect on January 1, 2027, that will increase penalties for a first time offense, including a 7-day suspension.

Let's partner to make sure all students are safe at our bus stops!

The New Hampshire Department of Education wants to hear from you! If you have a child in grades PK–12 receiving special education services—including those in chartered public schools or approved special education programs—please take a few minutes to complete Grantham’s Parent Involvement Survey.

• Anonymous & Direct Impact: Your responses are completely confidential and directly shape special education decisions at both district and state levels.

• Multiple Children? Please complete a separate survey for each child receiving services.

Have questions? Contact Superintendent Christine Downing at cdowning@sau75.org.

Did you know that we participate in the NH Medicaid to Schools program? This safely secures federal reimbursements for therapies, nursing, and mental health services already delivered in our school.

If your student is Medicaid-eligible, please consider; your consent costs you nothing, will never impact your family's personal Medicaid coverage, and directly keeps local tax dollars in our classrooms. Services are guaranteed regardless of your participation.

Questions? Contact Brenda Molloy, SAU 75 Executive Assistant, at 603-863-9689 or visit the NH MTS Resource Center: https://nhmtscenter.org/

Grantham Village School offers nutritious daily meals through the USDA National School Lunch Program, and your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. To learn more, please visit the National School Lunch Program page on our GVS website and complete an application. Questions? Contact Brenda Molloy, SAU 75 Executive Assistant, at 603-863-9689.

A digital version of the application is attached below.

The Grantham School District has an ongoing responsibility under New Hampshire law (RSA 186-C) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to locate, identify, and evaluate all children with suspected disabilities residing within the district or attending nonpublic schools located within the district.

This responsibility—known as Child Find—applies to all children from ages 3 through 21 (inclusive, until their 22nd birthday), regardless of the severity of the disability. Child Find applies to:

• Resident children enrolled in public schools within the district

• Resident children enrolled in private, nonpublic, or parochial schools

• Resident children who are homeschooled or highly mobile (such as migrant or unhoused students)

• Resident early childhood children transitioning from Family-Centered Early Supports and Services (FCESS) prior to their 3rd birthday

When Should a Referral Be Made?

Anyone—including parents, teachers, medical professionals, or community members—may refer a child for an evaluation if they suspect the child has a physical, mental, emotional, learning, or speech/language disability. Indications may include:

• Difficulty progressing or participating in age-appropriate preschool activities.

• Repeated academic failure or inability to keep up with grade-level work.

• Failing hearing or vision screenings.

• Frequent or severe behavioral and emotional challenges impacting learning.

How to Request Assistance or Initiate a Referral

If you suspect your child has a disability and may require special education and related services, or if you would like more information about our special education programs and evaluation procedures, please contact:

• Contact Person: Ms. Jamie Malhoit

• Title: Director of Student Services

• Phone: 603.863.0521

• Email: jmalhoit@sau75.org

• Mailing Address: 300 Route 10 South, Grantham NH 03753

Grantham Village School is seeking a full-time paraprofessional. If you would like to learn more about this position, please visit: https://www.gvshawks.org/apps/jobs/show_job.jsp?REC_ID=42968. We continue to also need substitutes.

If interested please submit a letter of interest, resume, transcript, three letters of recommendations, and application (available at www.gvshawks.org) to: Christine Downing, Superintendent, 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 03753. Please email cdowning@sau75org and copy bmolloy@sau75.org.

October Policy Updates

At its October 6th meeting the Grantham School Board adopted the following policies.

IIB - Class Sizes and Student-Educator Ratios

JF - Enrollment Capacities

JF-R - Enrollment Capacities - Procedures

JFAM - Education of Military Children

JICK - Bullying Prevention

JJJ - Access to Public School Programs by Non-Public School Students

In addition, the following policies were entered into a first reading and will be considered for adoption at the November 17th meeting of the board.

JICJ - Prohibiting Use of Cell Phones

EEAE-R2 - Student Expectations Regarding School Bus Transportation

JKAA - Use of Restraint and Seclusion

JEBA - Early Entrance into Kindergarten

JEBA-R - Early Entrance into Kindergarten - Procedures

Many of the policies listed above are being revised due to recent legislative changes that resulted in new laws going into effect after July 1, 2026.

All Grantham School District Polices can be found on the website under the SAU 75 tab and then select "policies." All policies go through at least two public readings, which are presented at meetings of the Grantham School Board.

Here is a link to the policies that were discussed at the October School Board Meeting.

• Fiscal Year 2028 adequate education grant estimates will be published on NHED's website on Nov. 15.
• Join business leaders, legislators, media, educators, and key stakeholders on Nov. 17, 2026, 8:30 am – 3 pm for a discussion hosted by the New Hampshire Business & Industry Association on New Hampshire's childcare landscape and its impact on the workforce and economy. Learn more and register at Childcare Forum Registration.
• Screens in Schools has released a five-minute survey for educators, librarians and students seeking information on how schools are handling tech - is it working and what are your thoughts. Supported by Phones in Focus, the survey is open to K-12 public school educators, librarians and students 13 or older. Visit Screens in Schools.
• The Ski NH 4th & 5th Grade Passport Program is a fun and affordable way for kids to experience skiing and riding at a variety of New Hampshire ski areas! Each participating student receives one lift ticket or trail pass voucher to every one of Ski New Hampshire’s 30+ member ski areas—that’s a voucher for each area. Passport quantities are limited. Please share this opportunity with students!
• Join NH Children's Trust on Nov. 3 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord for the 14th Annual Strengthening Families Summit. This statewide event brings together parent leaders, educators, service providers, community members, and advocates committed to strengthening families and supporting child well-being across New Hampshire. Attendees will participate in interactive learning opportunities, cross-sector conversations, and practical sessions focused on strengthening protective factors and preventing child abuse and neglect. Learn more and register at the Strengthening Families Summit.

• Media Power Youth offers free curricula and digital wellness resources that help young people think critically about the media they consume and create, make healthy choices, and build positive relationships. Their FLEX lesson collection for grades 4–7 connects media literacy and digital wellness through short, adaptable lessons designed for advisory, FLEX, and other short classroom blocks. Thanks to grant funding, these resources are available to educators at no cost. Join them for a virtual information session on November 10 or November 12 to explore the lessons and learn how to access and use them. Participants will receive a certificate of completion for one hour of professional development. Explore the curricula. Register for an information session. Contact Becca Garone at rebecca.garone@mediapoweryouth.org.

• Attention Class of 2027 Seniors. Do you have an interest in Agriculture, Biology, or Honey Bee related fields? The New Hampshire Beekeepers Association may have a scholarship just for you.
• The NH Radon Program is hosting its sixth annual radon poster contest for New Hampshire students in grades 5-8. This contest is designed to raise awareness about the importance of radon testing. Teachers can request a free test kit for their homes at https://states.aelabs.com/#/nh. Contest information, including poster requirements and submission, may be found on our Radon Teacher Resources page. Poster entries are due to the NH Radon Program on October 30, and winners will be announced on Nov. 20. Students should submit their artwork with a completed Artwork Submission Form.

HB 564 and HB 1300 (Ballot Question #2) are often lumped together in conversations. However, they should not be considered one in the same. As most people know the passage of HB 1300 led to Ballot Question #2 coming up on November 3rd.

So, what is HB 564 all about?

HB 564 was signed into law by Governor Ayotte on August 18, 2026. As a law, it requires all NH school districts to separate their School Administrative Unit (SAU) budgets from the overall School District budget. This means at this year's annual school meeting there will be a separate article on the school warrant for voters to approve the SAU budget. If the SAU budget is not approved, then a level-funded adjusted budget matching the prior year will be used. The rest of the school district budget will be approved in a different warrant article.

Why do HB 564 and HB 1300 get lumped together?

HB 1300 contains a different definition for the SAU budget than what is defined in HB 564.

HB 1300 states, "School administrative unit central office administrative budget means expenditures for the general management and administration of a school administrative unit. The term does not include school-based administrative staff; classroom instruction; instructional support services; special education services; transportation; food services; or facilities operations and maintenance."

HB 564 states, "a budget required for the expenses of the school administrative unit for the next fiscal year, which budget may include the salary and expenses of supervisors of health, physical education, music, art, and guidance, and any other employees, and shall include the expenses necessary for the operation of the school administrative unit." It also references RSA 194-C, which is the RSA that directly governs School Administrative Units or SAUs.

There is a conflict between these two definitions when it comes to expenses related to what is included in the SAU budget versus the School District budget. One definition (HB 1300) excludes school-based administration, but the other definition (HB 564) indicates salaries and expenses of school-based administrators ("supervisors") may be included.

I will talk more about HB 564 and its application to the Grantham School District in my next newsletter!

Grantham Village School, the Grantham School District/SAU 75, and the Grantham School Board proudly partner with various non-profit and community organizations to enrich our students' experience. Please note that while we include information about these organizations for communication and community awareness, they do not represent or act on behalf of the Grantham Village School, the Grantham School District/SAU 75, or the Grantham School Board in any official capacity.