Clarification

MILFORD – A story on substitute teachers and teacher absences in the April 26 Cabinet should have noted that the total staff absences include not only teachers, but most district staff, including nurses, paraprofessionals and administrative, custodial and kitchen staff.

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Start times

MILFORD – The first meeting of a Milford School District start-time committee is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16 in the Milford High School library. The committee will look at the possibility of later start times for the middle school and high school, based on a growing body of research on adolescents and sleep.

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Road paving

MILFORD – Roads took a beating over the long, cold winter, and the Department of Public Works Director Rick

Riendeau laid out his paving plans for selectmen recently. The 2018 plan for a total of 6.4 miles of road can be seen on the town website. They include Ponemah Hill Road, between Emerson Road and the Amherst line, Osgood Road, between Burns Road and Noons Quarry Road, King Street, between George Street and Osgood Road, Clinton Street, between Nashua Street and South Street, Ball Hill Road, between Melendy Road and Annand Drive, Osgood Road, between Armory Road and Burns Road, Melendy Road, between Osgood Road and Ball Hill Road, Elm Street, between Old Wilton Road and Hitchiner Way and Nashua Street, between Burger King and Ciardelli Circle.

Town Administrator Mark Bender said anyone with questions or comments can call him, at 249-0602 or Riendeau at 673-1662.

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Outstanding letters

MILFORD – Brianna Leo, a student at Milford Middle School, is a state winner in the 2018 Letters About Literature competition, a reading and writing promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The contest is coordinated in New Hampshire by the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library.

Brianna wrote about “Touching Spirit Bear” in the 2018 Level II NH winning letter to author Ben Mikaelsen.

She and the other winners will each receive a $100 cash prize. Additionally, their letters were sent on as entries in the national Letters About Literature competition.

There were six semifinalists from Milford, including Brianna: Joshua Army, Ryan Cavanaugh, Colin Gregg, Paeton Moul and Caroline Raiano.

This year, there were more than 42,000 entries nationwide, and 502 were from New Hampshire students.

The letter writers described how the author’s work changed their view of the world. Readers respond to the book they’ve read by exploring the personal relationship between themselves, the author and the book’s characters or themes. Readers may select authors, living or dead, from any genre-fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic.

Judges selected 31 New Hampshire semi-finalists across three competition levels: Upper Elementary, Middle School and High School. State winners were selected from this group of outstanding letters. A full list of the New Hampshire semi-finalists is available at lal.nhbookcenter.org.

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LaBelle plan moves forward

AMHERST – Kent Clinton, representing Arboleda Reality and LaBelle Winery, talked with the Amherst Planning Board recently about LaBelle’s plans to expand behind the current facility on Route 101.

The project is in the design phase, with plans calling for a new building about the size of LaBelle’s current building that will have function space, a distillery and tasting room.

LaBelle will submit a site plan to the town soon, and there will be review meetings in June or July. Clinton, from Meridian Land Services, said he would get back to the board about traffic impacts. LaBelle wants to use about four acres owned by Friends of Young Judea on Camp Road, and in February obtained a lot line adjustment from the board.

Amy LaBelle and Cesar Arboleda had envisioned an “artisan village” that included an inn and a tavern on 48 acres of what’s known as the Bragdon property across Route 101. Those plans hit a legal challenge from an abutter last year.

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Breakfast for Vietnam Wall

AMHERST – The Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., is coming to Amherst, facilitated by Marie Grella and the Milford Rotary Club. To raise money for the event there will be a pancake breakfast this Saturday, May 12, from 8-11 a.m. at the Amherst Fire Rescue, 177 Amherst St.

The Wall will be on the field in front of Souhegan High School, July 19-23.

Other fundraisers include a Flag Day 5K on June 15 (visit www.FlagDay5K.org) and a sale of American flags (info@MovingWallNH.org.)

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Superintendent switch

AMHERST – Peter Warburton, outgoing superintendent of the Amherst and Mont Vernon school districts, has signed a three-year contract to oversee the Allenstown -Chichester – Epsom school district, according to the Concord Monitor.

Warburton had been superintendent of that district, SAU 53, from 2008 to 2011, when he left to take the job at the Amherst, Mont Vernon and the Souhegan Cooperative districts, SAU 39. Last fall he let the SAU board know he was leaving in July 2018, but neither he nor the board made the reason public.

In November, Amherst-Mont Vernon Business Administrator Adam Steel was chosen by the SAU 39 board to be superintendent, and as Associate Superintendent he seems to have taken over many of Warburton’s duties. He will officially be the superintendent on July 1.

The SAU 53 position opened when David Ryan, who was hired last spring as superintendent, said he will leave at the end of the year for SAU 16 in Exeter.

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Vietnam Memorial survey

MILFORD – The Vietnam Memorial Committee, under the auspices of the Milford Recreation Commission, has been

meeting for the past seven months to formulate plans for a new memorial to honor Milford

residents who served in the Vietnam War. There is currently no town memorial that recognizes their service and sacrifice. Recognition of those who worked in the military and emergency services in the country’s ongoing fight against terrorism is also planned for the memorial.

The committee is soliciting community input on the preliminary proposals through a short survey that can be found on the town website, at www.milford.nh.gov/vietnam-memorial- committee.

The survey includes links to the concept designs developed to date. Before moving forward with a final proposal for town approval and fundraising next year, the committee needs residents’ input. Opinions and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

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School poetry evening

WILTON – On May 4, four of the students at Whiting Hill School presented the school’s annual Poetry Evening at the Gregg Free Library. Each student recited three favorite poems.

School Director Linda LaDouceur said students memorize a poem each week, a practice she called “a dying art.” Poems memorized as children “stay with you forever,” she said, noting nursery rhymes learned as toddlers.

Ivy Slater recited “The Lake Isle of Innisfree,” by William Yeats; “Danger Sign” by Pat Moon; and “The Robin’s Song,” By Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Aspen Hang recited, “A Farmer’s Boy” by Irene Fawsey; “The Sloth” by Theodore Roethke; and Old Dame Cricket” by anonymous.

Ian Sharp presented “Hurt No Living Things” by Christina Rossetti; “The Barefoot Boy” by John Greenleaf Whittier; and “The Rabbits” by Elizabeth Roberts.

Jasper Vargo recited “Books Fall Open” by David McCord; “The Thousandth Man” by Rudyard Kipling; and “Poem for a Poet” by Roger McGough.

Refreshments and conversation were enjoyed after the presentation.

Whiting Hill School, for grades one through six, was founded in 1984 to stress art, music and a study of the natural world, and to foster a love of learning. Registrations are now being accepted. For more information call 654-2635.

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Information session

MERRIMACK – Gate City Charter School for the Arts is excited to announce that it is hosting an information session for the 2018/2019 school year. Attendance at the information sessions is a required step for families interested in enrolling at the school. The session will take place at 6 p.m. May 31 at the school, located at 7 Henry Clay Drive, Merrimack.

Gate City Charter School for the Arts is a public charter school with tuition-free open enrollment for any New Hampshire resident. The mission of the Gate City Charter School for the Arts is to use an arts-integrated curriculum to educate all interested students in grades K-8, to prod uce graduates who excel in both academics and the arts and have the knowledge, creativity and inquisitive nature that foster a life-long love of learning. As a free public school option with an emphasis on the arts, the school attracts artistic and creative students from all over Southern, New Hampshire.

Jenn, a Nashua parent whose children attend Gate City Charter School for the Arts shares her thoughts on the school:

“I am thrilled with my decision to have my children attend Gate City Charter School for the Arts. The small-classroom environment provides the opportunity for personalized attention and a true community atmosphere. The arts integration element is especially important and effective in the kindergarten classroom. The students constantly create and build and design. They aren’t just learning literacy skills and shapes. They are learning how to express themselves and solve problems. Even as kindergarteners, they are understanding their ability to make their mark on this world.”

For more information on the school, call 943-5273. You may also find us online and fill out an interest in enrollment form at www.gatecitycharterschool.org.

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Frederick’s Pastries

earns honor

AMHERST/BEDFORD – Frederick’s Pastries has been selected by the readers of New Hampshire Magazine as “Best of NH 2018” for Best Bakery, Best Cakes and Best Pastries. The winners will be celebrated at the Best of NH Party on Thursday, June 14, at Manchester’s Northeast Delta Dental Stadium from 6:30-9 p.m. Proceeds from the event’s ticket sales will benefit Stay Work Play.

“It’s all about spreading the word about what a cool and lively state we share, and encouraging appreciation and exploration.” notes New Hampshire Magazine Editor Rick Broussard.

Broussard says the mission of the Best of NH dovetails perfectly with that of Stay Work Play. The evening ends with a not-to-miss fireworks display. “It’s a perfect finale for an evening that sizzles with great food and fun,” says Broussard.

“We are thrilled to be voted Best of NH Bakery, Cakes & Pastries by the readers of New Hampshire Magazine again this year”, says Susan Lozier Robert, proprietor of Frederick’s Pastries. “It is an honor to be awarded this prestigious distinction, one we work toward throughout the entire year. We love living, working and playing in the great state of New Hampshire!” For more information on Frederick’s Pastries visit www.pastry.net.

One ticket buys attendees the complete Best of NH experience. To guarantee tickets, log on to www.bestofnh.com. To ensure the best experience, only a limited number of tickets will be available to this grand celebration.

Stay Work Play is the beneficiary for the 2018 Best of NH Party. Stay Work Play works collaboratively across New Hampshire to support ongoing economic, workforce and community development by promoting the state as a favorable place for young workers and recent college graduates to stay, work and play when considering employment and lifestyle opportunities.

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Peterborough Zoning nominated for state award

PETERBOROUGH – The Peterborough Planning Board announced today that the zoning plan created for the town this year has been nominated for the Plan of the Year to be awarded by the New Hampshire Planners’ Association. The award, which will be presented at the NHPA spring conference on June 1, looks for plans that are innovative and creative in their approach, and present problem-solving techniques that can be used by other towns.

Planner Carol Ogilvie nominated the Peterborough plan for the award. She says that the plan’s use of form-based code is unique in the state for a town this size. Form-based code looks not only at the uses which are permitted on a particular lot but the size, shape, and massing of the building in which it will be housed. Form-based codes allow a town to control the look and feel of any new development, to ensure that it fits easily into the town’s existing neighborhoods.

In his letter of support for the award architect Daniel V. Scully of Keene says, “In an era that has labored under long ago developed regulations not entirely responsive to the Town’s realities, we now find ourselves with pre- existing regulations that do not well represent current interests in encouraging:

• Growth through greater density, rather than greater sprawl.

• Affordable housing while simultaneously making it possible for the young to stay and live in Town.

• Facilitate the desire of all ages to live-work-and eat downtown.

• Clarity in the regulations to make the site and building planning of new structures a comprehendible process in which new buildings supportively fit into existing neighborhoods.

The 2018 Zoning Simplification Amendment distills and supplement years of baffling Overlay Districts into more workable documents that are significantly more reflective of current planning values, while retaining the existing standards and uses. The additional introduction of Form Based building types encourages building forms respectfully consistent with the existing community while guiding increased density in the areas with existing water and sewer infrastructure.”

The new code was developed by a subcommittee of the Peterborough Planning Board which included planning board member Bob Holt, landscape architect Karen Fitzgerald of FitzDesign Inc., and planning board member Ivy Vann of Ivy Vann Town Planning and Urban Design. The town will determine whether to adopt the proposed code at the Peterborough May 8 town meeting vote.