Adam A. Marcoux
President
Deb Howes
Vice President
Stacy Gingras
Treasurer
Patrick Johnson
Secretary
Gary Hoffman
Member-at-Large
Patty Gagnon
Member-at-Large
Stephanie Keating-Bayrd
idember-at-Large
7C Taggart Drive
Nashua, NH 03060
Office: (603) 888-7544
Fax: {603) 888-7639
Adam A. Marcoux
May 21, 2020
The Honorable James Donchess, Mayor
The Honorable Members of the Board of Aldermen
City of Nashua
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060
Dear Mayor Donchess and Members of the Board of Aldermen,
Tam writing to you to ask that you approve the Board of Education’s request for a 2.25%
increase in the FY2021 budget. Our city, along with the rest of the country, is facing
many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no question that the
pandemic will have financial repercussions on all of us.
Some have suggested that the hiring freeze instituted by the Mayor apply to the school
district. I respectfully disagree. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the needs of our
students continued to grow. The dynamics of families and the needs of students have
changed exponentially over the last decade. The number of special education students
is growing, the number of ELL students is growing, and the number of students facing
traumatic experiences is growing. One could argue that every current student has faced
a traumatic experience this year with the abrupt closing of city schools. There was a
need for additional staff to support our students before the pandemic; the need has
grown significantly since March.
We are uncertain when we will return to school in our traditional setting, but we wiil
return at some point. When we do, we are going to need all hands-on-deck to not only
support our students, Dut families and the staff ofthe district. Many would say that it
is not the school district’s responsibility to provide some of these supports or services.
if not the district, then who will provide the services? The role of public schools has
been evolving. Our budget needs to evolve with those changes to meet the needs of all
of cur students.
I am grateful for the support the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen have shown the
school district In the past. | am fully aware that the district is the largest, and most
expensive department in the city budget. However, every penny invested in education
is a penny invested in our city’s future. Please continue that investment by approving
the 2.25% request by the Board of Education.
Respectfully,
President, Nashua Teachers’ Union
Cc: Nashua Board of Education
Superintendent Dr. Jahmal Mosley
NTU Membership
