The ConVal School Board would like to share the following information regarding the warrant articles approved and filed by two member communities, Dublin and Francestown, to study withdrawal from the school district.

As part of this process, a committee was formed to study the feasibility and suitability of withdrawal. 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.

In the coming weeks, the feasibility and suitability of Dublin and Francestown withdrawing from the ConVal School District and forming their own school district will be evaluated separately and reported on separately. The committee must report its findings for each town to the State Board of Education by October 22, 2024, 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 withdrawal for both towns, the committee must develop a withdrawal plan for each town and file the plans with the State Board of Education by November 1, 2024. Should the State Board of Education approve the withdrawal plans, residents will vote on the issue on March 11, 2025.

Should the committee recommend withdrawal for one town but not the other, the committee must file a report with the State Board of Education for each town, but it would only develop and submit a plan for the town for which withdrawal was recommended.

Should the committee not recommend withdrawal for either town, it must file reports for each town 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. This report must be filed by October 22, 2024. They must also develop a withdrawal plan and submit the plan to the State Board of Education by November 1, 2024. If the State Board of Education approves the withdrawal plan, residents will vote on the withdrawal plan on March 11, 2025.

More information will follow after the withdrawal committee makes its findings. The withdrawal committee meets in the SAU Boardroom at 6:00 PM on the second and fourth Thursday of the month. These meetings are open to the public, and minutes from the meeting can be found on the School Board’s website here.