Londonderry High School proposes 'Lancer Academy' to consolidate adult education and expand CTE and ELOs
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Summary
High school leaders proposed a two‑year transition from four houses to three plus a new Lancer Academy, aimed at consolidating adult education, expanding career‑connected learning (including a proposed EMT pilot) and managing enrollment changes while remaining largely budget‑neutral over a two‑year period.
Londonderry High School Principal (Mr. Barnes) outlined a plan on Dec. 9 to reconfigure the high‑school house model and launch a new Lancer Academy, a two‑year effort intended to fold adult education and career‑connected learning (ELO/CTE) into a single administrative umbrella.
Barnes said the high school has seen large gains in AP participation and dual enrollment and a 50% increase in career‑connected learning since 2024. The proposed Lancer Academy would reduce the house count from four to three and create a dedicated administrator to manage ELOs, adult education and partnerships with local employers and training providers. The district would aim for a budget‑neutral transition across two school years by leveraging existing staffing, repurposing stipends and aligning schedules.
Bryan Barnes and other administrators discussed specific program pilots discussed for FY28 (subject to final budget approval) including an EMT experience in partnership with the Londonderry Fire Department and a modest $2,000 request to support ServSafe food‑safety certification for culinary students. Barnes said an initial full EMT certification program would be cost‑prohibitive, but the district hopes to offer accelerated EMR‑level experiences and leverage nearby partners for full EMT tracks.
Board members debated timing: some urged starting July 1 to give the new director time to build programming, while others favored a two‑year rollout to reduce student disruption and keep counseling continuity. Barnes said two years would be less disruptive and help ensure the Academy is budget neutral.
Next steps: the board will consider whether to fund a dedicated administrator as part of FY27 and will review program and staffing impacts in the next budget meeting.
