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Articles of Agreement

The Contoocook Valley School District (ConVal) is a cooperative district, located in the Monadnock Region of Southwest New Hampshire. ConVal is a large public school organization. The nine towns that make up the District — Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon, and Temple — are located in two New Hampshire counties, Hillsborough and Cheshire. The nine towns joined together in 1967 based on the “Articles of Agreement” which were last amended on November 18, 2011.

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ConVal School Board News

ConVal School Board District News

Dec 31, 2025 · ConVal School Board
ConVal Financial Updates
This is the first in our annual series of “Financial Articles” regarding the financial aspects of running the ConVal School District. For the full-length article (3 pages), please click here.

Jim Fredrickson Chairman, Budget & Property Committee ConVal School Board
Aug 14, 2025 · ConVal School Board
Community Forum Addresses Bell-to-Bell Ban
On August 13, the ConVal School District held a community forum on the bell-to-bell ban on personal communication devices that will go into effect when schools reopen on August 28.

The state law prohibits the use of cell phones, smartwatches, and similar technology from the first bell to the last bell of the school day. As the presentation by ConVal School Board members, the Superintendent, the high school principal, and a group of high school staff explained, students are expected to keep devices powered off and stored away during all instructional and transition times, helping ensure that attention remains on academic engagement and school community participation. The goal is to eliminate distractions, promote face-to-face interaction, and maintain an environment that is focused on learning. Click here for a brief explainer video.

The forum, including the Q&A session, was recorded and can be watched on YouTube here.
Jul 28, 2025 · ConVal School Board
Withdrawal Study Committee (Francestown): Process and Timeline
The ConVal School Board would like to share the following information regarding the warrant article approved and filed by the member community of Francestown to study withdrawal from the ConVal School District.

On May 3, 2025, Francestown held a Special Town Meeting and voted to petition the ConVal School District to study the feasibility and suitability of Francestown’s withdrawal. The Withdrawal Study Committee, having already formed to study the case of Temple’s withdrawal, has now additionally taken up Francestown’s study. The committee consists of one school board member from each of the nine ConVal towns and one Select Board member from each of the nine ConVal towns. The makeup of the committee is dictated by state statute (RSA 195:25).

By statute, the committee has 180 days from its first meeting regarding Francestown on May 22, 2025, to complete its study and report its findings to the ConVal School Board as well as to the State Board of Education. The committee has expressed its intention to adhere to a shorter timeline as established by the prior Temple study and State Board of Education deadlines. It is the intent of the committee to complete the study by October 21, 2025, indicating whether withdrawal from the school district “is recommended, not recommended, or whether more time and information are needed to make a determination” (RSA 195:25, II).

If the committee recommends the withdrawal of Francestown, the committee would develop a withdrawal plan and file the plan with the State Board of Education by November 1, 2025. Should the State Board of Education approve the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the issue in March 2026.

Should the committee not recommend withdrawal, it must file a report with the State Board of Education, as well as the ConVal School Board, and the committee is then dissolved (RSA 195:25, IV).

When withdrawal is not recommended by the committee, members of the committee who voted to recommend withdrawal may file a minority report with the ConVal School Board and the State Board of Education recommending withdrawal. The minority report would be filed by October 21, 2025. In addition to the minority report, members recommending withdrawal would also need to develop a withdrawal plan and submit the plan to the State Board of Education by November 1, 2025. If the State Board of Education approves the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the withdrawal plan in March 2026.

Withdrawal Study Committee meetings are open to the public. Meeting times will be posted to the district calendar. Minutes from these meetings can be found on the School Board website: schoolboard.conval.edu/en-US/minutes-agendas-56ef752d
Jul 28, 2025 · ConVal School Board
Statement from the School Board on the NH Supreme Court’s ConVal v. State Decision
The New Hampshire Supreme Court’s recent landmark ruling in the ConVal school funding case represents a significant step toward fulfilling the State’s constitutional obligation to fund public education fairly and adequately.

The Court reaffirmed what local school districts have long known: the true cost of providing a constitutionally adequate education is significantly higher than the current state funding levels. For the 2024-25 school year, the State provided base adequacy amounting to $4,182 per student, but the Court recognized that the minimum base adequacy cost must be at least $7,356.01 per student. They held that the “trial court’s declaratory judgment calculation was conservative, supported by the record, and eminently reasonable.” For context, the average cost per pupil in New Hampshire for the 2023-2024 school year was $20,323, more closely reflecting the range of expenses required to operate public schools. The declaratory judgement of $7,356.01 accounts for basic, but critical, school operations that have been historically underfunded or entirely excluded from the State’s definition of adequacy, including student transportation, school nurses, and the maintenance of school buildings and facilities.

For too long, these essential costs have been shifted onto local property taxpayers, placing an especially heavy burden on communities with lower than average property values. The Court’s decision moves us closer to a system where the State, not local taxpayers, meets its constitutional responsibility to fund public education.

While the Supreme Court upheld the need to increase base adequacy funding, it did not require the State to implement the increase immediately. Instead, a majority of justices chose to give the Legislature and Executive Branch the opportunity to resolve this issue promptly. However, it is important to note that two justices dissented on this point, citing the State’s 30-year history of legislative inaction and warning that further delays risk continued harm to New Hampshire students’ constitutional rights.

As a school board, we stand committed to advocating for a funding system that ensures all students in New Hampshire receive the education they are guaranteed under the State

Constitution, regardless of their ZIP code or the property wealth of their community. We urge our state leaders to take swift and meaningful action to address this long-standing inequity.

We want to thank former Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, Superintendent Dr. Ann Forrest, former members of the ConVal School Board, and our legal team, Dean Eggert, Michael Tierney, and Elizabeth Ewing from Wadleigh, Starr, and Peters, for their leadership in this case. We also want to thank all the school districts that joined and supported this action.
Jul 8, 2025 · ConVal School Board
NHSFFP To Hold Webinar on ConVal Lawsuit Decision
On July 1, the New Hampshire Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in the ConVal school funding lawsuit, upholding most of the 2023 Superior Court's ruling. On Wednesday, July 16, the NH School Funding Fairness Project (NHSFFP) will host a webinar, starting at 6:00 pm, to explain the decision and its implications for the future of school funding. To register for the "ConVal Ruling Webinar: What it Means for NH Public Schools," please click the button below.
Jun 5, 2025 · ConVal School Board
Community Forum Presentation on Funding Challenges
On Wednesday, June 4, a Community Forum was held in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre at ConVal High School. The topic of discussion was the New Hampshire public school system and how it is funded.

Speakers from the NH School Funding Fairness Project described the state's excessive reliance on local property taxes to finance schools in an hour-long presentation that went into detail about how property owners carry a disproportional and unequal burden to finance education. The presentation was followed by an extensive Q&A session.

The slide deck that guided the presentation can be found here. The event was also recorded on YouTube and can be accessed here.

The mission of the NH School Funding Fairness Project is to inform the public about the condition of New Hampshire public schools and their funding; to advocate for changes to make the system more equitable for students and taxpayers alike; and, if necessary, to prosecute, manage, control, and/or participate in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the system for funding education in New Hampshire.
May 19, 2025 · ConVal School Board
Community Forum about School Funding Challenges
Join school board members, administrators, teachers, parents and representatives from the NH School Funding Fairness Project (NHSFFP) for a one-hour community conversation with a Q&A session about how New Hampshire funds its public schools—and why it's leading to unequal tax burdens and unequal opportunities for students.

The Community Forum will take place on June 4 at 7:00 PM in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre at ConVal High School.

The speakers will share local data, explain recent court rulings, and talk about what's next and opportunities to make an impact. This event will focus specifically on the ConVal School District and the challenges its towns face under the current funding model. There will be time for questions and discussion.

Please click here to register.

Why register?

Registration helps us prepare materials tailored to the towns represented. We won't sign you up for anything unless you choose to opt in. Presented by the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to make school funding more fair for students and taxpayers.
Mar 12, 2025 · ConVal School Board
District Vote Results
Thank you to all the voters who expressed their support for the ConVal School District on March 11, 2025. The detailed vote outcomes for each of the 11 warrant articles and ConVal School Board positions can be accessed here.

ConVal School Board News

Goals

Support building administrators' goals to provide a safe, supportive, and successful learning environment for all students.
Produce, with Administration, a budget for the school year 2026-27 that meets the needs of the district while making best use of the resources we have. We will seek additional ways to engage the community in the process to improve transparency and constituent confidence.
Support the SAU administration in their goals of doing a comprehensive study of our facilities and Special Education system, and to develop a viable Literacy program.
Work with the Superintendent to promote district successes and achievements with all stakeholder groups. We will also continue to develop strong and supportive connections with all community groups, both local and state.
Continue its work through the Board-designated committees to improve the educational system and to make the best use of the resources we are provided.
Follow through on the outcome of the Francestown withdrawal study.

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ConVal School Board

Articles of Agreement

Spotlight

Meeting Calendar

Agendas & Minutes

District Vote Results

Live Streams & Videos

Events

ConVal School Board News

ConVal Financial Updates

Community Forum Addresses Bell-to-Bell Ban

Withdrawal Study Committee (Francestown): Process and Timeline

Statement from the School Board on the NH Supreme Court’s ConVal v. State Decision

NHSFFP To Hold Webinar on ConVal Lawsuit Decision

Community Forum Presentation on Funding Challenges

Community Forum about School Funding Challenges

District Vote Results

ConVal School Board News

Renovation Plans and Withdrawal Reports

School District Budget

Goals

FIND US

ConVal School Board News

ConVal Financial Updates

Community Forum Addresses Bell-to-Bell Ban

Withdrawal Study Committee (Francestown): Process and Timeline

Statement from the School Board on the NH Supreme Court’s ConVal v. State Decision

NHSFFP To Hold Webinar on ConVal Lawsuit Decision

Community Forum Presentation on Funding Challenges

Community Forum about School Funding Challenges

District Vote Results