The Portsmouth School Board recently announced that 17 architects have submitted proposals for the renovation of Portsmouth Middle School on Parrot Avenue. The Board plans to whittle that number down to between three and five architects before presenting their selections to the City Council. As plans for the renovation move forward, debate over where the Middle School should be located continues to fester. With city elections around the corner and four open seats on the School Board, the Middle School, along with several other issues, have bubbled to the surface.

School Board terms are expiring for Nancy Clayburgh, John Lyons Jr., Ann Walker and Clay Hayward. Walker and Hayward are running for reelection, while Clayburgh has opted to run for City Council. Also entering the School Board race are Lisa Sweet, Rebecca Emerson, Dexter Legg and Leslie Stevens.

Although several issues will be raised over the course of the election, “the biggest one is the Portsmouth Middle School,” Walker said. She’s been involved with the debate since it began, having served on the School Board since 2004. 

Lisa Sweet, who has a master’s degree in education and is the mother of three children in the Portsmouth school system, is satisfied with how the School Board has handled the issue. “They went through a process, and I think all sides were heard. I think they have a consensus, and now they’re moving forward,” she said.

While most of the candidates voiced their support for keeping the Middle School downtown, they also realize that the debate is far from over. Rebecca Emerson believes most people are under the impression that a final decision has been made, but she reminds residents that nothing is set in stone. “It is important to know that there is no guarantee, and there is still the possibility of building on the Jones Avenue landfill,” Emerson said. “And, in fact, there are those who still advocate for it, even though any school built on—or even near a landfill—will not be considered for LEED certification,” she added, noting that LEED certification would make the city eligible for extra state funding.

The Middle School debate is what motivated Emerson to enter the School Board race.

“I have a son who will be entering the school system next year, and I’m very much in favor of keeping the Middle School downtown and making sure it will be renovated successfully. It’s important for the children to be seen by the community and for them to see the community,” she said. When her son enters kindergarten next year, it will be the second year of the city’s new full-day kindergarten program.

Clay Hayward has been on the School Board since 2004 and has two sons at Portsmouth High School. He also supports keeping the Middle School downtown, but he advocates for caution as the process unfolds.

“We have to move in baby steps to make sure that this renovation is done right,” Hayward said. “We also want to keep in mind that we want the Middle School to be environmentally friendly (green), as well as being respectful to the needs of the October 2003 to June 2004 P.M.S. Educational Narrative. This project will take some time, but will be well worth it,” he wrote in an email.

Dexter Legg has two daughters who have passed through the Portsmouth school system. He’s been an employee of Liberty Mutual for 30 years, and has lived in Portsmouth for 26 years. He believes his background in business will “bring a structured, fact-based approach to some of the decisions we’re going to face. I understand how to budget and the process for establishing priorities and making difficult decisions. I think we need to be able to establish attainable performance objectives and measure results,” Legg said.  

In addition to weighing in on the Middle School debate, each candidate hopes to address several other issues. Leslie Stevens wants the School Board to formulate its own version of a master plan.

“One of the things I would really like to see happen is the drafting of a district wide vision statement, a map for us for the future,” Stevens said. “There are pieces of it in different places, but they’re not in one place and clearly spelled out. The next step would be to project out and decide what we want in the short and long term.”

Stevens has a master’s degree in social work and has spent much of her professional career working with homeless teens and other kids living in group homes or foster care. These days, she is at home with her eighth grader, sixth grader and third grader.

Legg hopes the School Board will address the lack of playing fields. He also thinks the schools should take more advantage of the skills and expertise in other city departments, like when the Recreation Department and the school’s Athletic Department forged together under director Russ Wilson.

“I want to bring back the foreign language program in the elementary schools,” Emerson said. “And, teacher contracts are coming up. We need to find a balance that works for the teachers and for the city.” 

Teacher quality is a priority for Walker, too. Asked what issues were most important to her, she said, “Maintaining the quality of our public education system, getting the best teachers and giving them appropriate training and support, making sure they have mentors and then keeping those teachers here.” Before retiring, Walker taught at the Dondero School for 30 years and is proud to have seen many of her former students become teachers in the Portsmouth school system.

Several candidates echoed the belief that the School Board needs to do a better job with communication. “I think the School Board does so many good things and our schools do so many good things, and people just don’t know about it,” Stevens said. 

Sweet believes she can help improve communication. “I would like to continue to build consensus with the community by articulating the needs of the schools as much as possible,” Sweet said. “The issues are very complex, and I believe I have a good understanding of them. I have a background in teaching, and in the 10 years I’ve lived here, I have constantly volunteered in the schools. I think I can make a big difference.”

Hayward thinks the schools should reach out to the public. “The communication process needs to be more open and transparent for the parents, taxpayers and the general public,” Hayward said. “We need to provide more information to city taxpayers and get them involved with the mission and purpose of the schools so they understand what is happening with direction instruction, special education and the ways in which we are meeting state and federal mandates.”

Legg also offered a plan for improving communication. “I would try and create regular forums where we could bring in outside speakers on particular topics,” Legg said. “When the School Board faces a policy decision, the community isn’t as involved as it should be. We need a transparent decision-making process and closer coordination between the School Board, the school administration and other city departments.” According to Legg, an improved Web site would facilitate better communication.
Hayward agrees that technology should be a priority. “I believe that the biggest challenge is the updating of technology as part of the infrastructure,” Hayward said. In order to be able to compete in the global economy, Hayward believes Portsmouth students need more training with computers and other technology.

Each of the candidates emphasized the importance of community involvement in the schools. Municipal elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 6. A forum for School Board, Police and Fire Commission candidates will be held at City Hall at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 24.