It’s May 21, 2021. Here’s an update from the 2021 Manchester municipal election campaign trail.
Sullivan Opposed to Combined High School
This week, Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt released his vision for the district’s facilities, highlighted by a proposed new high school that would combine the city’s three current general education high schools into one.
In the leadup to Goldhardt’s presentation on the vision, Mayoral Candidate Victoria Sullivan voiced her opposition to the idea of a combined high school, citing a recent study from the University of Rochester stating that the ideal high school size is approximately 600 to 900 students.
Sullivan also noted the district’s decreasing enrollment as a reason against building the school, citing the proposal as a distraction from other issues in the district.
“As a mother, these education issues are really important to me. As a taxpayer that struggles to make ends meet like so many in this city, I understand how important it is too. The children are our future and the parents that raise them have a hard enough time in this ever-changing world,” said Sullivan. “As the state’s largest school district, our city should have been leading in education for years. As they say, the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the second-best time is today. Now is the time for Manchester to lead and move past the same failed approaches of years past.”
However, she did support one of the ideas proposed by Goldhardt: magnet schools. She also proposed tax credits and other flexibility in school choice in her statement.
Joyce Craig Announces Office Hours
While not a campaign event, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig announced several office hour events this week, with dates around the city and across the summer.
“Throughout my time as Mayor, I’ve worked to make city government more transparent and accessible to everyone who calls Manchester home,” said Craig. “I’m looking forward to meeting with residents across our community, listening to their ideas and working with them to address their concerns.”
Craig’s first event will take place on Thursday, May 27, 12pm – 1pm at Rock Rimmon Park, followed by follow-up events on Monday, June 21, 9am – 10am (Sheehan Basquil Splash Pad), Wednesday, July 14, 10:30am – 11:30am (Elmwood Gardens) Wednesday, July 21, 4pm – 5pm (Gossler Park Elementary School) and Wednesday, August 18, 4pm – 5pm (Beech Street Elementary School)
