Pelham-Windham News 12-18-09

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Saturday the 26th!

Happy Holidays!
Volume 7 Number 24 December 18, 2009 16 Pages
Smile Squads
More Budget Savings
Revealed
Deployed to Fairview Nursing Home
by Barbara O’Brien
indham W Town Administrator David Sullivan, in conjunction with town
department heads, has already come forward with a proposed operating
budget for 2010 that is less than the one approved for the current year. After
further investigation and negotiation, however, town ofﬁ cials have come up
with additional savings.
When the proposed budget was ﬁ rst revealed last month, Sullivan said the
numbers for next year came in at $8,454 less for 2010 than the approved
budget for 2009. He also indicated, at that time, that there might be additional
savings.
Since that time, Sullivan said an additional $11,000 is being saved by
switching the company that provides life insurance to town employees. An
additional $32,940 may also be saved through a tentative agreement with the
indham PW olice Department to switch health insurance carriers. Finally, an
additional $26,735 might possibly be saved through a tentative agreement with
the union representing the indham FW ire Department. According to Sullivan,
this tentative agreement involves deferring the date on which union ﬁ reﬁ ghters
would receive their contracted two percent pay increase. Sullivan explained
that under the proposed change, those increases would not be retroactive.
continued to page 12- Budget Savings
Larger Classes Slated
for Center School
by Barbara O’Brien
Projections show that indham W Most ﬁ fth-grade classes across
courtesy photo
Center School could be expected New Hampshire have no more
to house and educate 56 additional
Th e picture captures most of the Smile Squad members: Maria Daigle, Nina Cabral, Kristyna DiBona, Sarah Wilson,
than 18 students in them, Hatem
students next year, than currently
Kesli Kruzel, Mitchell Cabral, William DiBona, Nathan Daigle, Jasper Kosa, Jade Kosa, Simon Daigle,
added. “How much are we going
make up the enrollment for the
Jessica Daigle, Erin Cabral, Kellie Epperson. Missing: Niki Kruzel
to sacriﬁ ce the kids to keep down
current year. the budget?” Hatem asked. “We
submitted by Paul Daigle Center School Principal Andy
have to articulate that we’re already
A group of students get high praise
eager young minds. “There is a great If you know anyone wondering
Desrosiers said that estimates show pushing the envelope. There’s no
and age diversity experience at the
diversity of people occupying this if they could visit a nursing home,
the school’s total population for ﬂ uff here (in the proposed budget),”
nursing home in Hudson.
nursing home. The kids are awesome then rest assured that these kids
the 2010-2011 school year could Hatem said.
Every ednesdaW y morning, as many
examples of acceptance, patience, demonstrate that it is simple. They
swell to 775 students in grades School Board member Jeff Bostic
as 15 home-schooled children from
kindness, and playfulness. They have offer some advice from the voice of
three through ﬁ ve. More students asked a rhetorical question to
Pelham have been visiting Fairview
fun with them all.” experience.
translates into the need for more other administrators. “When does
Nursing Home in Hudson, wearing
The students report that they ﬁ nd the Maria Daigle, 13, offered, “Old
equipment, more books, and more education start to collapse?” he
yellow T-shirts with big smiley faces
volunteering fun and give examples. people love music, so if you have
supplies, Desrosiers said. wondered. Fellow Board member
on them. Each squad varies in size
“I like talking about myself and I instruments or musical talents of any
In order to accommodate these Ed Gallagher said, “We have to
of three to ﬁ ve kids. They need to
feel good watching peoples’ faces sort, then bring them along.”
additional children, Desrosiers is sharpen our pencils to maximize
be fairly small to assist in ease of
when I do card tricks,” said Mitchell “I wasn’t sure about visiting a
proposing that a two-classroom the value of every dollar spent.”
deployment into rooms and hallways.
Cabral, 11. nursing home, but it is a lot more
“portable” facility be put on next ith the economW y being in such
The kids, ranging in age from six to
“Making decorations for Halloween fun than it looks,” commented Erin
March’s ballot as a separate warrant dire straits, “We can’t have it all,”
14 years old, have a way to put smiles
was fun,” said Kesli Kruzel, 9. “I know Cabral, 8.
article. If the warrant article fails Gallagher commented.
on people’s faces, whether or not they
I’ll do a great job for Thanksgiving and “No need for a coat or sweater
to gather enough voter support, Following mandated testing,
wear their yellow T-shirts.
Christmas, too.” because it is nice and warm inside,”
Desrosiers said, it is likely that the done last year at various grade
These are outgoing kids steeped in
“I had fun making cards and little recommended Jasper Kosa, 9.
school’s music and art programs levels, indham Center ScW hool
real-world experience ready to make
ghosts,” said Jessica Daigle, 6. “I can’t These kids are learning life skills and
will have to be relegated to carts was listed as a “School in Need of
crafts, play music, ask questions,
wait until we play charades. That is gaining invaluable experience of being
and travel from room to room. “Art Improvement” (SINI), due to low
offer a helping hand, tell stories, or
one of my favorite games.” comfortable expressing themselves
and music will have to be put on scores in mathematics. In order to
just playfully listen. The Smile Squad
The students reﬂ ect and are aware and listening to people who are
wheels,” he said. improve those scores, Desrosiers
members know ﬁ rsthand the joy of
that they actually learned something, obviously different than them. This
Also currently proposed for next said he is proposing additional
pleasing someone and the unexpected
too. squad of smiles gives life and presence
year is an additional ﬁ fth-grade supplemental supplies in that
rewards of sharing.
“At ﬁ rst, it was kind of difﬁ cult, but wherever each member goes. Such
teacher. This position will also likely speciﬁ c area of instruction.
“I met a real person who ﬂ ew a
my mom helped me learn how to start smiles beam way beyond the walls of
be put forth to voters as a separate Presently, the proposed budget
plane in orld W ar II,W ” offered Simon
a conversation with someone who a nursing home.
warrant article. Presently, there are for Center School for the 2010-2011
Daigle, 9.
doesn’t ﬁ rst start the conversation,” Nursing homes are always in need
eight ﬁ fth-grade classes at Center school year shows a seven-percent
The effort is led by parent Paul
said Nathan Daigle, 11. of friendly visitors. If you’d like to
School; seven with 26 students each increase over the current school
Daigle, who wanted to build upon
“I wasn’t sure how to act at ﬁ rst, but ﬁ nd out how to volunteer a bit of your
and an eighth with 25 students. year. If the warrant article for the
prior volunteering activities by
it became a lot easier when I became time in your community, contact the
These are the largest class sizes in portable classrooms is added into
reaching into a community that can
more patient in waiting for an answer,” activities director at any area nursing
recent years, Desrosiers said, and the mix, the increase goes up to nine
beneﬁ t from positive interactions with
said Nina Cabral, 13. or long-term care facility.
the trend appears to be continuing percent over the current 2009-2010
upward. School Superintendent school year.
Frank Bass said the “ideal” number Desrosiers announced a couple of
for a ﬁ fth-grade class would be 20 to months ago that he will be retiring
21 students. at the end of the current school year,
Holiday Cheer
School Board Vice Chairman Mike which comes to a conclusion on
Hatem said the median ﬁ fth-grade June 30, 2010.
class size, statewide, is 18 students.
Brought to VeteransBrought to Veterans
submitted by Ruth Coole,
Windham Woman’s Club
‘Tis the season! A group
of indham W oman’W s Club
members merrily greeted veterans
s Club.
on Thursday, December 10, at the
Veterans Administration Medical
oman’
Center in Manchester. Forty- W
Christmas Services
ﬁ ve veterans of all ages received
a festive colored bag with a
colorful ornament containing

Windham Crossroads Baptist Church
shaving cream, a juice box,
43 Atwood Road, Pelham
sugar-free goodies, toothpaste, oole,
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Thursday, Dec. 24,
mouthwash, and a holiday card
at 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.
from the Club. This has been an
uth C
annual tradition since 1985. The
y R
St. Matthew Parish
Club visits veterans at the Center
2 Searles Road, indhamW
monthly from September to May,
Christmas Eve - 4:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. Overﬂ ow
bringing joy and conversation, as
y photo b
Mass: 4:00 p.m. - Sisters of Mercy
well as serving coffee, cocoa, and
tes
Christmas Morning - 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
mufﬁ ns.
our
C
Barbara McKinnon, one of Barbara McKinnon, Barbara Norton, Cristina Diaz, Maureen Souma, and Sue Violi
indham PrW esbyterian Church
the Club’s members, plays a with some of the festive bags
1 Church Road, indhamW
variety of songs on the piano in
Thursday, Dec. 24
the Center’s recreational area,
wonderful caring generosity of donations: BJ’s of Salem for
5:00 p.m. Christmas Service
which the veterans enjoy by smiling, clapping, and singing
coffee and cocoa; Target and al-Mart of Salem for their W
6:30 p.m. Christmas Service
along. Over the years, the Club has donated to the Center
gift certiﬁ cates; Richard orkman, DMDW , of indham W
8:00 p.m. Christmas Service
a TV/DVD player and DVDs; an abundance of books; and
for his generous donation of an abundance of trial-size
for the birthdays of veterans, two Lenox place settings with
toothbrushes, mouthwash, and toothpaste; the generous
indham Bible ChapelW
silverware for serving special birthday meals.
donation by the Club; the media for their great publicity
14 Cobbetts Pond Road, indham W
In June, the oman’W s Club sponsors an annual picnic,
of our organization; Chairman Maureen Souma and her
Christmas Eve Service - Thursday, Dec. 24, 7:00 p.m.
complete with hot dogs/hamburgers, potato salad, drinks,
committee, Sue Violi and Barbara Norton, for their time and
and watermelon, at which staff assists and a group of
dedication; and Barbara McKinnon for the songs she plays
members from our Club serve.
that ﬁ ll the room with happiness! It is heartwarming to bring
A special thank-you to the following businesses for their
so much joy to our veterans!
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