Henniker School Board appoints Kim Tucker as district clerk; students display Azalea Park artwork

The Henniker School Board on an amended agenda appointed Kim Tucker as school district clerk and approved routine actions including minutes and the calendar, and heard a presentation by art teacher Jake Deroscher and sixth-grader Johanna Maske about a student art installation at Azalea Park.

The board moved and seconded the appointment of Kim Tucker; the chair called for discussion, and members responded “Aye,” with no recorded opposition or abstentions. The board then approved the January 14 meeting minutes and the minutes from the public hearing of January 14; one member abstained on a minutes vote noting absence from that meeting. The calendar as presented was also approved following motion and second.

Art teacher Jake Deroscher introduced student work that the fifth- and sixth-graders created for an Azalea Park installation now on display at the Tucker Free Library. Deroscher described the classroom process: students used pen-and-ink and watercolor, studied illustrators and Dr. Seuss, and took a walking field trip with Susan Adams to the park to gather inspiration. "I'm Jake Deroscher. I'm the art teacher here at HCS," he told the board, and explained students spent roughly six classes developing the pieces. Sixth-grader Johanna Maske said the project made her feel "more connected to nature almost because you got to kinda look more closely at it and find out the details." The board and attendees praised the students for professional-looking installation work.

Committee reports and school updates followed. The curriculum committee reported on a leadership pathways program and the SAU-wide shift from balanced literacy to structured literacy, including use of decodable readers. The wellness committee reviewed a month-long wellness challenge and plans for a wellness fair; human resources reported work on health insurance vendor options. The communications committee reviewed proposed mailer language to be mailed before voting; the board agreed to finalize the mailer after deliberative events. School reports noted recent athletics wins, progress on winter diagnostics (i-Ready median growth toward typical goal at 54 percent for math with 95 percent of students tested), a lengthy spelling bee won by seventh-grader Elijah Kennedy, the start of a practical arts program for grades 3–6, and an ongoing principal search with a 14-person committee expected to bring 2–3 finalists later in the month.

The business office reported an available fund balance of $555,894.60. The business administrator said the balance is close to last year’s percentage of the budget. Transfers included funds reallocated after an unfilled psychologist position. The board heard that the proposed mailer would go out about a week before voting and that the PTA will host a Scholastic Book Fair and a Valentine’s dance during the coming week.

The meeting recessed and noted the next regular school board meeting will be March 5 in the HCS library at 6 p.m.