Superintendent's Newsletter

1. Ready for the Future: What Skills Do Lyme Students Need Most?
2. Understanding Ballot Question 2
3. District Governance 101: The Roles of SAU and Building Administrators
4. Get Involved! Participate in Upcoming Events

The Lyme School and the Town of Lyme share a deeply symbiotic relationship: a strong, forward-thinking school enriches the entire community, while community support directly fuels educational excellence. At the heart of this shared investment is the new Portrait of a Learner initiative. By uniting staff, parents, students, and town residents, this effort defines the core competencies and values our graduates need to thrive.

Together, the community and school are building a unified framework anchored in shared values and rich local traditions, ensuring our collective commitment to education directly yields well-rounded, capable leaders who strengthen and sustain all of Lyme.

Lyme Portrait of a Learner Committee Members: Jim Nourse (community), Emily Battles (parent), Jay Boren (parent), Audrey Brown (community), Fielding Essensa (school board), Brian Betournay (faculty), Emily Girdwood (faculty), Lincoln Sparks (student), Maryam DeWan (student), Shane Rayes (graduate), Elise Foxall (administration)

An SAU Administrator provides executive leadership across the entire school district, focusing on macro-level policy, compliance, and multi-school governance, whereas a Building-based Administrator (such as a Principal) oversees site-specific instructional leadership, student management, and daily school operations.

In a district budget, they are categorized into distinct operational functions:

• SAU Administration (Function Code 2320): Funds district-wide executive roles (e.g., Superintendent, Business Administrator) and central operations, including district software, network infrastructure, central office staff, and district-level professional dues.

• Building Administration (Function Code 2410 ): Funds site-level leadership and school support, including Principal salaries, building office expenses, site-based instructional software, and school-level curriculum and coaching support directly benefiting classroom instruction.

While the FY28 SAU budget remains a work in progress, the attached FY28 draft provides a clear sense of what would be included under a 6% SAU cap.

Email: mbanios@lymeschool.org
Phone: 603-795-4431 x144

I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or thoughts about the district that you may have.