Special Board of Aldermen Public Hearing Page 36
George Farrington
I’ve experienced that this evening. Thank you.
Chairman Dowd
Anything else on the school department?
Scott Takewith
Good evening my name is Scott Takewith. | live at 26 New Dunstable Road in Nashua. So this was
the first time that | heard that there was a probably a decrease of possibly 20 percent students in the
school districts since the year 2000. So as a taxpayer at face value, you would think wow let’s cut 20
percent teachers or let’ cut 20 percent of our buildings. | think that’s only one piece of the puzzle. So
as a Board of Aldermen makes some pretty tough choices, | want to also ask. Since 2000 has our
number of English language learners increased or decreased and to what percentage? Since 2000
has the number of refugees increased or decreased in Nashua? Has the number of students on free
and reduced lunch increased or decreased? Has the students needing special education service
increased or decreased? Has the number of students needing mental health services increased or
decreased? How about the number of students that are involved in the court system has that
increased or decreased? The number of students that are currently living in foster care and needing
extra support has that increased or decreased? So | think you have to take all of this data in
consideration when deciding what a school district needs to be successful. The face of the
classroom has changed drastically since 2000 and | think we need to make sure that we have the
support so that we can educate everybody. Thank you.
Paula Johnson
Of course only a teacher would know all those figures. So if the percentage of students have
dropped 20 percent since 2000 and you now are taking 10 % teachers and now moving them — we’ve
got half a teacher so why don’t we round it up to maybe 11 teachers or round it down to 10 because
we only have half of a person. We're putting them into kindergarten. So what is the percentage of
more children with these 10 teachers now in a classroom? How many more kids are going to be ina
classroom? Can anybody answer me, Mr. Farrington?
The question is if youre moving 10 or 11 teachers out of the classrooms and you're putting them into
kindergarten, how many students are going to be in those classrooms because those teachers are no
longer needed and/or you — Superintendent Brown why don’t you answer?
Chairman Dowd
Mrs. Johnson could you please direct your question to the Mayor and he can call somebody up.
Paula Johnson
Okay. Mayor what is the percentage? If you’re eliminating 11 teachers because supposedly you
don’t need them, now we’re putting them in kindergarten positions.
