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Flag Day June 14


Honor Our Flag


Pelham~Windham News


Pelham~Windham NewsThe “ED”ies 2012: Proclamation -


Volume 9 Number 47 June 8, 2012 16 Pages


National Flag Week Presidential


Flag Day and


White House: Offi ce of the Press Secretary


On June 14, 1777, the Second Constitutional Congress adopted a fl ag with 13 stripes and 13 stars to represent our Nation, one star for each of our founding colonies. The stars were set upon a blue fi eld, in the words of the Congress’s resolution, “representing a new constellation” in the night sky. What was then a fl edgling democracy has fl ourished and expanded, as we constantly strive toward a more perfect Union. Through the successes and struggles we have faced, the American fl ag has been ever present. It has fl own on our ships and military bases around the world as we continue to defend liberty and democracy abroad. It has been raised in yards and on porches across America on days of celebration, and as a sign of our shared heritage. And it is lowered on days of remembrance to honor fallen service members and public servants; or when tragedy strikes and we join together in mourning. Our fl ag is the mark of one country, one people, uniting under one banner. When the American fl ag soars, so too does our Nation and the ideals it stands for. We remain committed to defending the liberties and freedoms it represents, and we give special thanks to the members of the Armed Forces who wear our fl ag proudly. On Flag Day, and during National Flag Week, we celebrate the powerful beacon of hope that our fl ag has become for us all, and for people around the world. To commemorate the adoption of our fl ag, the Congress, by joint resolution approved August 3, 1949, as amended designated June 14 of each year as “Flag Day” and requested that the President issue an annual proclamation calling for its observance and for the display of the fl ag of the United States on all Federal Government buildings. The Congress also requested, by joint resolution approved June 9, 1966, as amended (80 Stat. 194), that the President annually issue a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as “National Flag Week” and call upon citizens of the United States to display the fl ag during that week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 14, 2011, as Flag Day and the week beginning June 12, 2011, as National Flag Week. I direct the appropriate offi cials to display the fl ag on all Federal Government buildings during that week, and I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the fl ag. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day, also set aside by the Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor America, to celebrate our heritage in public gatherings and activities, and to publicly recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty- fi fth.


by Len Lathrop Reporting on an award ceremony can be very boring. You get the “list” and print that. Well, the New Hampshire Excellence in Education Awards is the event where the people are truly outstanding and what they have done and what they say shows the passion that educators have. The title was stolen from the last line of Dr. Elaine Cutler’s remarks as she was presented the NH Superintendent of the year award. Agree or not, it sure makes you think about the work, the process of “school.” The 19th annual New Hampshire Excellence in Education Awards


celebration was held at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester Saturday, June 2, with approximately 600 guests in attendance. These awards honor teachers, volunteers, staff, and schools of excellence, it is a combined effort of the statewide education associations, where outstanding individuals and schools are showcased and uses their examples to inspire and motivate others throughout the state. Three “Ed”ies awards were hoisted by the Litchfi eld School District Staff, and the Teacher of the Year, Bethany Bernasconi from Windham High School, who were part of the 39 honors presented that night. The NH School Library media association selected Andrea Ange for Campbell High School in Litchfi eld as School Librarian of the Year. Ange is the epitome of a 21st century librarian, as director of CHS library


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Recognizing the Most Important Work of Mankind


T e Teacher of the Year is Bethany Bernasconi, a Biology teacher at Windham High School.


Left : Bethany Bernasconi converses with fellow awardee Litchfi eld Superintendent Dr. Cutler and her mother-in-law, Priscilla


Golden Brook Principal Resigns; Assistant Principal Moves Up


by Barbara O’Brien The principal of Windham’s Golden Brook School, Debra


Armfi eld, has tendered her resignation from the job she has held for the past fi ve years and is moving her employment to the Timberlane Regional School District. Taking over the reins at Golden Brook will be current Assistant Principal Christi Michaud. Interim Superintendent Henry LaBranche made the announcement during the Windham School Board’s June 5 meeting. LaBranche said that Armfi eld will be taking on the job of Director of Professional Learning for SAU 55, which includes the towns of Atkinson, Danville, Plaistow and Sandown. Armfi eld will be joining former SAU 28 (Windham and Pelham) Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Wilson, who left for the Timberlane Regional School District two years ago. Currently, Wilson is the Director of Pupil Personnel Services for the four-town SAU 55. Armfi eld’s resignation was accepted unanimously with regret by


the Windham School Board (5 to 0). Board members expressed their appreciation for all the hard work and dedication put into Golden Brook during Armfi eld’s tenure as principal; a period which included severe overcrowding, the establishment of the district’s fi rst public kindergarten program and the construction of the new seven-


room kindergarten addition. Michaud, who has served as assistant principal at Golden Brook for the past three years, “is the right person to take Golden Brook to the next step,” LaBranche said. On LaBranche’s recommendation, Michaud’s appointment as principal was unanimously approved by school board members. Michaud’s salary for the 2012-2013 school year was set at $82,000. This does not include any benefi ts provided to her. “I am honored. I am truly excited and eager for the new school


year to begin,” Michaud said. “This is a tremendous community in which to work.” Michaud will take over the duties of principal at Golden Brook on July 1. Golden Brook houses students in kindergarten through third grade. As for the search for a new superintendent, LaBranche reported that “the process is off and running.” It is anticipated that a detailed plan for seeking candidates will be available to school board members by the middle of July. LaBranche has agreed to remain as interim superintendent of SAU 28 through the end of the 2012-2013 school year. At that point, Windham will be leaving SAU 28 and forming a single-entity SAU (#95). Pelham will remain as the only school district designated as SAU 28.


Selectmen Agree to Join Sustainable Communities Initiative - But Barely


by Barbara O’Brien It took three long and very contentious meetings, but the majority of Windham Selectmen did fi nally agree to join “The Sustainable Communities Initiative” being put forth by the Rockingham Planning Commission, of which Windham is a dues-paying member. The discussions were held over a six-week period, beginning in late April and extending through the June 4 selectmen’s meeting. On each occasion, the Rockingham Planning Commission was represented by Executive Director Cliff Sinnott. The purpose of the Sustainable Communities


Initiative is to formulate a regional plan for the communities located in the southern portion of New Hampshire. Eventually, if all goes as expected, the nine regional planning districts in New Hampshire will combine their individual plans and a State Master Plan will be put together. That fi nal step, however, is about three years down the road. When Sinnott fi rst brought the concept to


Windham, 18 of the 27 towns represented by the Rockingham Planning Commission had already agreed to participate in the regional planning process. Only one town, Hampstead, had


declined, reportedly, due to political concerns about federal funding. Sinnott said that he hadn’t heard of any problems regarding the remaining towns being willing to join their counterparts in regional planning. The money for the regional planning process is, indeed, coming from the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD); a federal agency. The $300,000 coming from HUD will be distributed for regional planning over a three- year period, beginning later this year. It is this federal connection that riled up some residents of Windham, enough so that many of them attended all three sessions where the proposed project was discussed, often speaking publicly and also presenting town offi cials with copious amounts of information allegedly supporting their points-of- view.


According to those who opposed joining in on the regional planning endeavor, the federal government, through HUD, intends to mandate certain changes, many of which would ultimately change the character of Windham, forever. Many of those who spoke said they didn’t want to give any more authority to the federal government. Several of those opposing the regional and statewide planning process also indicated that


they are concerned about preferences being given to racial minorities, the disabled, military veterans and low-income or single-parent families. Of those who spoke in favor of joining the


initiative, the main reason they cited was the need and desire for Windham “to have a seat at the table;” to provide local input on fi nal recommendations and priorities regarding the regional planning process, to show that the residents of Windham are interested in what is happening nearby.


During the public input portion of the June 4 meeting, those residents who spoke in favor and those in opposition were evenly divided, with eight in opposition to participating in the planning process and eight in favor of signing the agreement to participate in the regional initiative. Even Town Attorney Bernie Campbell urged selectmen to sign the partnership agreement, saying that the only commitment being made by those who sign is to participate in the planning process. There would be no commitment regarding the implementation of any recommendations developed as the result of the planning process. According to Campbell, the regional plans developed through these studies are “advisory only.” Saying that the planning process


will move forward with or without Windham, he urged selectmen to participate fully. Sinnott also reiterated that the only commitment in signing the partnership agreement is that Windham agrees to work on the plan. HUD’s only input on the planning process, according to Sinnott, would be to assure that the grant money is spent appropriately.


Although the majority of selectmen eventually agreed to sign the paperwork required for active participation, the fi rst attempt to decide the issue failed due to a tied vote; with two in favor, two opposed and one abstaining. Voting in favor of signing the agreement were Vice-Chairman Ross McLeod and Selectman Kathleen DiFruscia. In opposition were Chairman Bruce Breton and Selectman Phil LoChiatto, both of whom had made it clear from the beginning that they didn’t want to accept money from the federal government, because of a fear of losing local control. Selectman Roger Hohenberger abstained from voting, saying he was in favor of regional planning, but didn’t understand the need to sign an agreement. Hohenberger said it was his contention that as a member of the Rockingham Planning Commission, Windham already has the


continued to page 8- Communities Initiative


Pelham~Windham News 6-08-2012.indb 1


6/7/12 12:16 PM


Staff photos by Len Lathrop


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