Press Advisory
286 Commercial St., Manchester, NH 03101
603-624-6300
contact David Scannell (x169)
mansd.org
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Press Advisory |
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286 Commercial St., Manchester, NH 03101 |
For more information, | |
603-624-6300 |
contact David Scannell (x169) |
|
mansd.org |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | |
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
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The following is the text of an April 25 letter Superintendent Henry Aliberti sent to the members of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s executive committee warning of the impact of proposed school budget cuts on the local economy.
"Over the years, the Manchester School District and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce have developed a strong partnership that has produced enormous rewards for both the district and the Chamber. In an effort to maintain open lines of communication between the schools and the business community, I am writing to members of the Chamber’s executive committee today to let them know that the funding crisis -- precipitated by a $7.25 million cut in the mayor’s proposed budget -- the district faces is likely to have a significant impact on the city’s ability to attract and retain employers and employees who evaluate the state of the local schools before making expansion or relocation decisions.
As you may have read or heard in the local media, the district is facing a budget allocation for the next fiscal year that will eliminate numerous teachers and administrators, all athletic and co-curricular programming, and the district’s day-long kindergarten program. Many other reductions and eliminations are also proposed. The cuts will have an obvious impact on the quality of education the district has to offer. Moreover, there will be an impact on Manchester’s quality of life -- an impact that all businesses will feel.
Without a full complement of teachers, classrooms will be overcrowded and the wide array of course offerings that have always been a strength of the district and a beacon for students looking to find their niche will be a remnant of the past. Without the healthy diversions offered by sports and co-curricular activities like music, drama, and student publications, students currently occupied by constructive pursuits might find less profitable ways to use their time. (Such signature co-curricular programs as the US FIRST robotics teams, Central High School’s award-winning student newspaper, and West’s theater program will not be funded.) Without the peace of mind that comes from knowing that one’s 5-year-old is safely ensconced in an all-day kindergarten program, workers will be focused on arranging transportation and child care -- not the demands of their work. Without a vibrant school system poised to propel Manchester into the future, prospects for economic growth and additional economic development are bleak.
All Manchester residents were proud that the city and its surrounding region fared so well on a recent survey of 27,000 individuals who were asked to define the key factors associated with being happy with the city in which one chose to live. The quality of educational facilities was ranked second on that survey. (See Richard Florida’s Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making Where To Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life, Basic Books, 2008.) Without a world-class school system, Manchester will not do as well in subsequent surveys, and as a result, continued economic growth in the city and the region will be in doubt.
Throughout its history, the Manchester School District has always been able to stretch a dollar -- indeed, only four school districts in the state spend less per pupil than the Manchester School District does -- while offering its students a quality education that regularly sends them to top-tier colleges and universities and into the world of work prepared to do the job. The budget figure the district currently faces threatens this proud tradition and imperils Manchester’s future.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen is in the midst of deliberations about the budget proposal. I urge you to contact members of the board if you are so inclined to express concern about the critical role a vibrant school district plays in the on-going effort to expand the tax base by enhancing Manchester’s profile among prospective employers and employees.