Manchester School District elections (2013)
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Fourteen seats on the Board of School Committee for Manchester School District were up for primary election on September 17, 2013 and general election on November 5, 2013. At-large incumbents Kathy Staub and David M. Wihby won re-election of their seats in an unopposed race. Ward-specific incumbents Sarah S. Ambrogi in Ward 1, Debra G. Langton in Ward 2, Chris Stewart in Ward 3, Ted Rokas in Ward 5, Erika Connors in Ward 8, Arthur J. Beaudry in Ward 9 and John B. Avard in Ward 10 were all re-elected to their respective wards. Ambroji was unopposed for Ward 1, and newcomer Amy L. Bradley went unopposed in Ward 4.
Dan Bergeron was the only incumbent to be ousted, losing election to newcomer Robyn M. Dunphy in Ward 6. Ross Terrio overcame Lisa A. Witte in Ward 7, Katie Desrochers defeated Stephen Dolman in Ward 11 and Constance "Connie" Van Houten defeated challenger Christine Duffley in Ward 12.
About the district
Manchester School District is located in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The county seats are Manchester and Nashua. Hillsborough County is home to 402,922 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[1] In the 2011-2012 school year, Manchester School District was the largest school district in New Hampshire and served 14,680 students.[2]
Demographics
Hillsborough County overperformed compared to the rest of New Hampshire in terms of higher education achievement in 2012. The United States Census Bureau found that 34.6 percent of Hillsborough County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 33.1 percent for New Hampshire as a whole. The median household income for Hillsborough County was $70,591 compared to $64,664 for the state of New Hampshire. The percentage of people below poverty level for Hillsborough County was 7.5 percent while it was 8.0 percent for the state of New Hampshire.[1]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Method of board member selection
The Manchester Board of School Committee consists of fifteen members, fourteen of whom are elected to two-year terms. Twelve of those members are elected from and represent a different geographical area in the school district, while the other two members are elected at-large by all residents in the school district. The fifteenth member and Chairman was Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas at the time of the election. The primary election was held on September 17, 2013 and the general election was held on November 5, 2013.
Individuals interested in running for the board began obtaining nomination papers on July 8, 2013. The filing deadline to submit nomination papers for the 2013 general election was July 19, 2013.[4]
Elections
2013
Candidates
At-large
- David M. Wihby
- Incumbent
- Public servant, New Hampshire Department of Employment Security
- Kathy Staub
- Incumbent
- Education activist, Manchester Coalition for Quality Education
Ward 1
- Sarah S. Ambrogi
- Incumbent
- Graduate, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
- Lawyer, Ambrogi Law Office
Ward 2
- Debra G. Langton
- Incumbent
- Educator
- Sarah L. Browning
- Graduate, Franklin Pierce Law Center
- Policy and Law Administrator, New Hampshire Department of Education
Ward 3
- Chris Stewart
- Incumbent
- Graduate, American University
- Managing Director, b-fresh consulting llc
- Theodore Groh
- Graduate, Saint Anselm College
- Executive Director, Manchester City Democrats
Ward 4
- Amy L. Bradley
- Graduate, New England College
- Executive Director, Manchester City Democrats
Ward 5
- Ted Rokas
- Incumbent
- Graduate, University of New Hampshire
- Hillsborough 12 State Representative, New Hampshire House of Representatives
Ward 6
- Dan Bergeron
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Daniel Webster College
- Software services specialist, IBM
- Robyn M. Dunphy
- Retired, educator
- Bill Hughen
- Graduate, Notre Dame College
- District Director of Guidance, Alvirne High School
Ward 7
- Lisa A. Witte
- Graduate, Temple University
- Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Manchester School District
- Ross Terrio
- Graduate, University of New Hampshire, School of Law
- Pharmacist, Catholic Medical Center
Ward 8
- Erika Connors
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Penn State University
- Camp director, Melody Pines Day Camp
- Steve Vaillancourt
- Graduate, Plymouth State College
- Hillsborough 15 State Representative, New Hampshire House of Representatives
Ward 9
- Arthur J. Beaudry
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Northeastern University
- Retired, firefighter
- J. Gail Barry
- Graduate, Mount Saint Mary's College, Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing
- Retired, Registered Nurse
Ward 10
- John B. Avard
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Parker College of Chiropractic
- Chiropractor
- Leo R. Bernier
- Graduate, Thompson School of Applied Science
- Treasurer, Merrimack County
Ward 11
Ward 12
- Christine Duffley
- Graduate, University of New Hampshire
- Small business owner
- Constance "Connie" Van Houten
- Retired, educator
- Joel Elber
- Graduate, Salem State College
- Retired, educator
Election results
Results for the 2013 primary and general elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2013 general election
2013 primary election
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Endorsements
The New Hampshire Union Leader endorsed incumbent Chris Stewart in Ward 3 and newcomers Robyn M. Dunphy, Ross Terrio, J. Gail Barry and Christine Duffley in Wards 6, 7, 9 and 12, respectively.[5]
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $9,578.23 and spent a total of $14,119.05 during the election, according to the City of Manchester.
In the Ward 2 race, a total of $100 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah L. Browning | $100.00 | $1343.20 | -$1243.20 |
| Carol-Ann J. Giovanni | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Debra G. Langton | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In the Ward 3 race, a total of $2,527 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Stewart | $1,751.00 | $1,012.46 | $738.54 |
| Theodore Groh | $776.00 | $471.75 | $304.25 |
In the Ward 6 race, a total of $3,856.91 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Bergeron | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Robyn M. Dunphy | $3,606.91 | $4,257.05 | -$650.14 |
| Bill Hughen | $250.00 | $585.00 | -$335.00 |
In the Ward 7 race, a total of $1,544.32 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Terrio | $684.32 | $684.32 | $0.00 |
| Lisa A. Witte | $860.00 | $1,183.52 | -$323.52 |
In the Ward 10 race, a total of $0 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| John B. Avard | $0.00 | $728.88 | -$728.88 |
| Leo R. Bernier | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In the Ward 11 race, a total of $1,550 was contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Desrochers | $1,550.00 | $1,316.03 | $233.97 |
| Stephen Dolman | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In the Ward 12 race, a total of $2,495.99 has been contributed to all direct candidate campaign committees.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christine Duffley | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Constance Van Houten | $2,495.99 | $1,187.68 | $1,308.31 |
| Joel Elber | $0.00 | $1,350.04 | -$1,350.04 |
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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What was at stake?
At-large incumbents Kathy Staub and David M. Wihby sought re-election, as well Sarah S. Ambrogi, Debra G. Langton, Chris Stewart, Ted Rokas, Dan Bergeron, Erika Connors, Arthur J. Beaudry and John B. Avard in their respective wards.[7] Incumbents Roy Shoults, Dave Gelinas, Jason Cooper and Roger Beauchamp did not file for re-election and were replaced by Amy L. Bradley, Ross Terrio, Katie Desrochers and Constance "Connie" Van Houten in Wards 4, 7, 11 and 12, respectively. The only incumbent to be ousted was Dan Bergeron in Ward 6, who was beaten by challenger Robyn M. Dunphy.
Issues
District audit
On June 26, 2013, Curriculum Management Systems published its audit of the Manchester School District. The district spent $40,000 to commission the report, which criticized the size of the fifteen-member school board and its two-year terms as causes of instability in the district.[8] The audit states that, "Declining student enrollment, funding reductions, board disharmony, aging school facilities, and disparities in student performance have been long-standing issues facing the district."[9] The auditors acknowledge that, "...the educational program a student experiences at one school may differ widely from the education a student receives at another school," and recommend that the school board create "written policies, plans, and procedures to provide a foundation for a consistent educational program" across the district.[9] Board member Arthur J. Beaudry did not agree with all of the findings and recommendations in the audit, arguing that, "The board is reluctant to pursue big changes too much because that's seen as micromanaging. So they back up, or at least some board members do."[8]
Common Core
On April 29, 2013, the school board voted to approve an $83,900 contract to train district elementary and middle school teachers in the Common Core standards for English and math.[10] Local education activist Deborah Olszta criticized the vote and Common Core, stating, "Every student in the country is going to be doing [the] same thing at [the] same time. China can do this sort of thing, but in America, this is supposed to be an open and free-thinking society."[10] Debra G. Langton and Arthur J. Beaudry voted against the contract, with Langton questioning the necessity of the contract in light of existing budgetary issues in the district.[10]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Manchester School District election in 2013:[4]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 8, 2013 | First day to pick up nomination papers |
| July 19, 2013 | Last day to file nomination papers |
| August 3, 2013 | Last day to form a PAC prior to the municipal primary election |
| September 7, 2013 | Last day for the City Clerk to accept voter registration applications until Election Day |
| September 16, 2013 | Last day for candidates and PACs to file campaign finance reports before the primary |
| September 17, 2013 | Primary election day |
| September 27, 2013 | Last day for candidates and PACs to file campaign finance reports after the primary |
| October 26, 2013 | Last day for the City Clerk to accept voter registration applications until Election Day |
| November 4, 2013 | Last day for candidates and PACs to file campaign finance reports before the general election |
| November 5, 2013 | Election day |
| November 7, 2013 | Last day to file recount petitions |
| November 15, 2013 | Last day for candidates and PACs to file campaign finance reports after the general election |
Additional elections on the ballot
The primary and general elections shared the ballot with other municipal primary and general elections, including the re-election effort of Mayor Ted Gatsas, who serves as the Chairman of the Board of School Committee. Ward 7 also participated in a special state primary and general election to fill a State Representative vacancy in District 14. No additional measures appeared on the ballot.
See also
- School board elections review: Voters opt for experience over new blood in nation's largest school districts
- School board election wrap-up: Incumbents re-elected overwhelmingly in November 5 elections
- New Hampshire
- Manchester School District, New Hampshire
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Hillsborough County, New Hampshire ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, New Hampshire
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 United States Census Bureau, "Hillsborough County, New Hampshire," accessed August 20, 2013
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, "Party Registration/Names on Checklist History," accessed August 20, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 City of Manchester, New Hampshire, "2013 Municipal Political Calendar," accessed August 21, 2013
- ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "For School Board: Our Manchester endorsements," October 31, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 City of Manchester, New Hampshire, "Campaign Finance Reports Filed by Candidate," accessed December 27, 2013
- ↑ City of Manchester, New Hampshire, "Filings for Non-Partisan Municipal Primary Election," accessed August 21, 2013
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ted Siefer, New Hampshire Union Leader, "School district audit report lands with a thud," June 29, 2013
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Manchester School District, "Curriculum Audit of the Manchester School District," June 27, 2013
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Ted Siefer, New Hampshire Union Leader, "Common core education talk draws opponents in Manchester," April 30, 2013
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