Students and Families receive emails and newsletter from the school principals regarding each school's information, news, and events throughout the school year. The most recent newsletter from each of our four schools is linked below. Have a look to see pictures and read all about the fantastic things happening all across SAU #34!

This newsletter is published monthly to the entire SAU 34 School Community to provide easy access to important information, links to school resources, highlights of what is happening all across SAU 34, and links to the school Facebook Pages and Newsletters.

If you have trouble opening any of the links, please scroll to the top and click on the picture of the SAU sign. That will bring you out of the email preview and into the actual newsletter, all the links will work from there.

• February 4 Hillsboro-Deering School Board Meeting 6 pm H-DMS Cafetorium
• February 4 Hillsboro-Deering Deliberative Session 7pm H-DMS Cafetorium
• SNOW DATE: February 6 H-DMS Cafetorium 7pm
• February 11 Washington School School Board Meeting and Public Budget Hearing WES Multipurpose Room 6pm
• SNOW DATE: February 12 WES Multipurpose Room 6pm
• February 13 Windsor School Board Meeting and Public Budget Hearing Windsor Townhall 5:30pm
• SNOW DATE: February 14 Windsor Townhall 5:30pm
• February 17 Hillsboro-Deering School Board Meeting H-DES Media Center 6pm
• February 24 -28 Winter Recess - All School Closed
• March 8 Washington School District Annual Meeting WES Multipurpose Room 9am
• March 8 Washington School Board Meeting WES Art Room directly following Annual Meeting
• March 11 Family-Teacher Conferences All SAU 34 Schools 11am -7pm All SAU 34 Schools
• March 11 Voting Day
• Hillsboro Polls Open 7am - 7pm H-DMS Gyn
• Deering Polls Open 8am - 7pm Deering Townhall
• March 11 Windsor Annual School District Meeting Windsor Townhall 5:30pm
• March 17 Hillsboro-Deering School Board Meeting H-DES Media Center 6pm
• March 21 Early Release for Students All SAU 34 Schools

The calendar on the SAU website provides a user-friendly way to selectable event views by building.

By clicking on the calendar name on the left-hand panel, you can hide that particular calendar's events from the larger view. You also can subscribe to a calendar to receive updates and changes to events.

https://sau34.org/calendar

We are nearing the end of the budget planning and approval process for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This is a complex process with four separate fiscal entities across SAU #34, each with their own budget . Each budget process has its own timeline, based on requirements outlined in state law.

The four fiscal entities in SAU#34 are:

• The School Administrative Unit (SAU) is responsible for the oversight, management, and accountability reporting for all operational, business, and human resource functions for the three school districts. The budget of the SAU is voted on as a separate warrant article in all four towns, and the cost is divided among the the three member districts using the apportionment formula.
• The Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District provides programming for students from pre-school through age 22, and operates three schools located on the main campus in Hillsboro, as well as an alternative program located on a rented property in Deering.
• The Washington School District provides programming from early learning through age 22, with early learning through grade five at Washington Elementary School and grades 6 and beyond tuitioned to Hillsboro-Deering.
• The Windsor School District provides programing for pre-school through age 22, and currently tuitions all students to the Hillsboro-Deering Schools.

As the budget process unfolds there are multiple opportunities for community members to provide input and share their comments with the school boards. Please click the attachments below to view the budget timelines and other information. These pages will be consistently updated throughout the process.

Information can also be found on the SAU webpage linked below.

After the Public Hearing December 19th, The SAU 34 Board voted to move FY26 Proposed Budget forward to the Warrant in each of the member communities. Ballot votes will take place in March.

This section will be updated as needed.

This section will be updated with the proposed FY26 budget information after it is presented to the Washington School Board on December 9, 2024.

This section will be updated as needed.

Waylen Ostertag

Casey Carrigg

Joshua Fournier

Lobanna Kivlin

Riley Beard

Aubree Hartness

Hannah Carrol

Lillian Hess

In November and December, high school Biology students in Vanessa Harnois' class piloted a project that worked to visually learn more about the organization of matter and energy flow in organisms. Students planted a seed and tracked the data of how often it was watered, when the plant sprouted, how tall the plant was getting, and how many leaves formed. With this information, students make connections to where the mass of a plant is coming from. Students are also able to make connections to the process of photosynthesis and the law of conservation of matter.

This was the first time this project took place in the new educational greenhouse space. It was a fun and new experience for all involved, learning the best ways to carry out the project for future semesters.

Check out the school newsletters and facebook pages for lots of great pictures and information about what is happening all across SAU 34!

We have reached the time of year when weather forecasts begin to call for things like snow, ice, wintry mixes, high winds and bitter cold. With that comes poor road conditions, power outages, safety concerns at bus stops, and other weather related issues that may lead to delayed openings, early releases, and cancellations for schools.

I am the one who makes the decision to close school due to inclement weather and emergencies, but not in isolation. Prior to making a decision, I monitor weather reports and often consult a variety of people including our town Road Agents, First Student Transportation, other area superintendents, and state and local emergency officials. I rely heavily upon the information I receive from our road agents and emergency officials. If I receive a report that conditions are too dangerous, I will not send students and staff to school.

Sometimes making the decision is not clear cut. Weather conditions often change quickly. For example the rate of snowfall per hour may be more than predicted, or a storm may start earlier or later than forecasted. Weather conditions can also vary widely across our SAU during the same weather event. Invariably, there is some disagreement with decisions regarding a particular weather storm. Every effort will always be made to announce a change in schedule as soon as possible to allow everyone time to plan, but this is New England, and weather and road conditions can shift quickly, so it is important we maintain flexibility to ensure everyone’s safety and best meet educational needs. Ultimately, we respect that families have the final say on whether or not they believe they should drive their child to school, send their child to school by bus, or allow their young adult to drive on questionable weather days.

Because access to information can be impacted by the weather conditions we put out information using a range of methods, to ensure the widest possible access. These methods include:

• Phone calls and emails using the SAU 34 Mass Notifications System

• Posting on the district website: www.hdsd.org

• Posting on the SAU 34 Facebook Page

• Television station WMUR (9)

Please know that the safety of our students and staff is the highest priority when it comes to making weather and emergency related decisions.

Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and support.

Jennifer Crawford

Superintendent of Schools

The 2025 School Climate Family Survey will be available in the Spring. In alignment with the SAU 34 Strategic Plan we are asking families to fill out this survey annually. The data gathered through the survey helps guide our strategic planning and decision making process.

At the beginning of the year SAU34 launched a newly redesigned website to better serve our community. The new website offers an improved user experience, enhanced navigation, and a fresh look that reflects our commitment to excellence in education.

Important Information: Our previous website, previously located at hdsd.org, will be redirected to our new website at www.sau34.org.

To aid in navigation and to more easy find the resources that you are seeking each school now has its own page.

• https://www.sau34.org
• https://www.wes.sau34.org
• https://www.hdes.sau34.org
• https://www.hdms.sau34.org
• https://www.hdhs.sau34.org

We encourage you to explore our new website and familiarize yourself with its features.

Flu season has arrived. We ask your help in preventing the spread of flu in our schools. The

flu spreads from person-to-person, and children in schools are among the most affected. We

want to keep school open during flu season and we cannot do it without you.

Here are a few ways you can help:

Know the signs of the flu.

• Signs may include; fever greater than 100 degrees, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

Keep sick children at home.

• Children should stay at home for at least 24 hours after the last signs of a fever without using medicine.
• Children should not return to school within 24 hours of the last sign of vomiting or diarrhea.
• Children with a constant cough should stay home until medicine relieves it.
• Any child who is sick at school, should go home.

Report their absence to the school nurse.

• If your child is out sick with the flu or flu-like illness, please let the nurse know.
• Washington Elementary School:
• James Rhodes 603-495-3463 mailto: jrhodes@hdsd.org
• Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School:
• Emily Dean 603-464-1311 edean@hdsd.org
• Hillsboro-Deering Middle School:
• Sharon Gamache 603-464-1275 mailto:sgamache@hdsd.org
• Hillsboro-Deering High School:
• HeatherAnn Labier 603-464-1290 mailto:hlabier@hdsd.org

Teach your children recommend mitigation strategies.

• Hand washing with soap and water often is the best way to reduce the spread of germs.
• Teach your children to cover their coughs and sneezes (with a tissue or their elbow).
• Teach your children not share their personal items like their food or water bottles.

Our schools work closely with the NH Bureau of Infectious Disease Control (BIDC) to monitor flu

events. For more information, visit www.flu.gov, or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current

information about the flu.

We are best able to keep everyone as healthy as possible by working together. We will notify you of any changes to our school’s plan to prevent the spread of the flu this season.

Hello SAU 34 Community,

THANK YOU so much to the households that have completed a Free and Reduced Price School Meals application for the 2024-2025 school year.

Every application, regardless of the determined eligibility, helps with our school's federal and state funding. For this reason, I am very thankful for each of you that have taken time to do this application as we are all incredibly busy, especially at the beginning of the school year!

You can apply online at this link. Search for the "Hillsboro-Deering School District" to complete the online application for any student (H-DSD or WES).

Completed paper copies can be sent with your student, left at your school’s front office where they will place it in an envelope, or you can mail it directly to me at my address below.

You’ve likely seen information about this application as we have to collect them each school year. Each application helps our district well beyond the cafeteria, as different aspects of our school’s funding for Title 1, resources, and technology from the state and government are determined by the number of free, reduced, paid, and unknown households there are in the district.

Your personal information is not shared, it is private. The personal information on your application stays within the Food and Nutrition Program and I take your information and confidentiality very seriously. I know these applications take time and can be confusing, so I greatly appreciate each household that takes the time to complete the applications and am happy to assist you in any way I can.

A few reminders:

• I only need one application per household, even if your students are in different schools within the SAU.
• The application does have to be filled out completely.
• If you do not include your email address on the application, your letter will be mailed to the address you provide.

If you would like any assistance completing the application, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Thank you,

Anna Muncy

Food & Nutrition Program Director

Hillsboro-Deering School District / SAU #34

(603)-464-1160 | amuncy@hdsd.org

6 Hillcat Drive Hillsboro NH 03244

Our local End 68 Hours of Hunger Program serves the students of SAU 34 which includes: Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School, Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, Hillsboro-Deering High School, and Washington Elementary School.

DONATE TO THIS COMMUNITY

The Problem

Childhood food insecurity is a national problem, it occurs when children receive insufficient food on a regular basis; in many cases missing meals entirely. After a while, these children also experience “fear of hunger” that affects their behavior as much as physical hunger affects their bodies. There are more than 6.4 million food-insecure children in American households today.

How End 68 Hours of Hunger Helps

This program puts nourishing food in the hands of school children to carry them through the weekend. Each bag of food, provided through food and financial donations, provides two breakfasts, two lunches, and three dinners for a child, with some left over to share!

The Powerschool Parent Portal provides families with a wealth of up to date information about their student's school experience.

It is very important that all families use the Parent Portal to update their student registration information and permissions.

Accurate information is vital for effective communication, your child's safety, and ensuring that we can provide the best possible educational experience. Below, you will find detailed instructions and requirements to complete the verification process.

Steps to Complete PowerSchool Online Student Information Verification

• Access the PowerSchool Parent Portal:

https://hdsd.powerschool.com/public/

• Log in using your parent/guardian credentials. If you have forgotten your login details, please use the “Forgot Username or Password” link or contact our support team at

EMAIL: pssupport@hdsd.org

Phone: 603-464-1150.

• Navigate to the Student Information Verification Section:
• Once logged in, on the left-hand navigation click on “FORMS”
• Complete the four forms in the SAU 34 Returning Portion on the “Student Information".
• Carefully review the existing information for your child. This includes:
• personal details
• contact information
• emergency contacts
• medical information
• other relevant data
• Update any outdated or incorrect information. Ensure that all mandatory fields marked with an asterisk (*) are filled out accurately.
• Click the “Submit button to finalize the verification process

If you need any assistance with this process please contact the main office of your student's school and they will be happy to assist you.

Washington Elementary School

• Dawn Bilski 603-495-3463 dbilski@hdsd.org

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School

• Vanessa Gaffey 603-464-1102 vgaffey@hdsd.org
• Cathy Bennett 603-464-1122 cbennett@hdsd.org

Hillsboro-Deering Middle School

• Susan Belida 603-464-1120 Sbelida@hdsd.org

Hillsboro-Deering High School

• Patti Kallander 603-464-1184 pkallander@hdsd.org