Friday Updates - April 7, 2023

Friday, April 7, 2023

Today is Good Friday. The Annual Parks & Rec. Egg Hunt will take place tomorrow, April 8th at the ORHS Turf Field at 9:30 AM. Easter is on Sunday!  

The Public Works Spring Newsletter is Available online HERE.

UPCOMING RETIREMENT PARTY FOR LORRIE PITT & JENNIE BERRY ON APRIL 19TH

There will be a combined retirement party for Lorrie Pitt & Jennie Berry on Wednesday, April 19, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers of the Town Hall. Light refreshments will be served. Presentations and sharing will begin at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome! Carpooling is encouraged due to limited parking at the Town Hall.

The United States Senate has an in-state work period in April and US Senator Maggie Hassan chose to visit Durham’s Wagon Hill Farm today to learn more about coastal resilience and to highlight funding for important ongoing coastal resilience work related to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The visit to Wagon Hill Farm was a “walk and talk” event. The group met in the parking lot, walked down to the shore, and gathered to view and learn about specific spots where shoreline restoration work has been completed or is still needed. 

Senator Hassan wanted to get an overview of the Wagon Hill project (background on why the project was needed, previous phases that have been completed, how those phases were funded, etc.), an overview of the current grant proposal under preparation by our team for the next phase of shoreline restoration and what that funding would be used to accomplish it, as well as additional as yet unmet needs. Durham staff & Town Councilors (Rich Reine, Sam Hewitt, Sara Callaghan, Jim Lawson, Wayne Burton, Craig Stevens, and Todd Selig), UNH researchers (Tom Ballestero and David Burdick), and staff from the NHDES Coastal Program (Steve Couture, Kirsten Howard, and Lucy Perkins) were all present to show what has been done and how the project at WHF is helping to improve resilience, habitat, etc. within the Great Bay Estuary.

The Wagon Hill Farm effort serves in part as a demonstration site of what can be accomplished in addressing shoreline restoration in the face of a changing climate.

DURHAM Q1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY DOWN

To date construction activity in Durham for the first quarter 2023 is down compared to Q1 of 2022. Last year at this time, the Planning, Zoning, and Assessing Office had processed 76 building permit applications with a value of $683,973. To date for 2023, only 47 permits have been issued with a value of $348,035.

SPRING BULKY WASTE PICKUP TO BEGIN MAY 1ST

The Spring Bulky Waste Residential Curbside Collection Program begins on May 1st at 7:00am.

Please place acceptable bulky waste items curbside no earlier than April 29th. Please see what items are acceptable for collection in the Spring Newsletter above.

The Raymond A. LaRoche, Sr. Transfer Station and Recycling Center located at 100 Durham Point Road will accept bulky waste items free of charge on May 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 11th from 7:30am – 3:00pm. Residents are encouraged to visit the facility during these hours to ensure proper recycling of their materials occurs.

WE NEED YOU! - Consider Volunteering for a Durham Board, Committee or Commission

The following are openings for volunteers needed on Durham Boards, Committees and Commissions:

• Conservation Commission - 1 Alternate Position
• Historic District Commission - 1 Alternate Position
• Housing Task Force - 2 Citizen Representatives
• Lamprey River Advisory Committee - 1 Citizen Representative
• Oyster River Advisory Committee - 1 Citizen Representative
• Planning Board - 5 Alternate Positions
• Public Library Board of Trustees - 2 Alternate Positions
• Trustees of the Trust Funds - 2 Alternate Positions
• Zoning Board of Adjustment - 1 Regular Position, 3 Alternate Positions

If you have any interest in volunteering for one of these positions, please contact Administrative Assistant, Karen Edwards, at kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us.

Following a referendum vote of the Town on March 8th, 2022, where 74% of voters ultimately supported the Town Council decision to move forward with removal of the historic, head of tide Mill Pond Dam on the Oyster River, the major focus has been to secure funding for a majority of this project. Below is a summary of the funding picture to date.

In February 2023 the Town received $284,226 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant monies for the design and permitting of the Mill Pond Dam Removal/River Restoration project through the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Critical Flood Infrastructure Grant (CFRING).

The Town applied for and is expecting to receive FY23 Watershed Assistance Grant Funding from NHDES in the amount of $150,000. NHDES reported that our project was rated the highest out of the 15 that they received for this funding in the State of New Hampshire.

The majority of the funding that has been secured for this project will be provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Habitat Conservation. Specifically, the funding opportunity is titled, Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal. More information can be found HERE.

Throughout the course of taking part in and listening to the public meetings, one of the thoughts that was expressed from residents was that while the Town was planning to remove the Mill Pond Dam and restore that section of the Oyster River for fish migration spawning and habitat, there was simply another dam (the UNH water supply dam) located upstream, and therefore, removing the Mill Pond Dam really only made very little difference in improving fish passage.

The state agencies have expressed that removal of the Mill Pond Dam and restoring that section of river alone would certainly have a tangible, meaningful, and very positive impact on improving fish habitat. However, when Town staff became aware of the potential historic level of funding available to the community for this type of critical habitat restoration work, and in consideration of the feedback received as mentioned above, Town staff believed it made sense to be proactive and forward thinking by including a funding request of $1.6 Million for the feasibility/design and construction of a fish ladder at the Oyster River Reservoir Dam. The installation of a fish ladder at this particular dam has been discussed many times with regulatory agencies as well as Fish and Game.

In conjunction with the Town’s consultant, VHB, a full application for both the construction of the Mill Pond Dam removal/river restoration and design/permitting/construction of a fish ladder at the upper dam was submitted to NOAA in August 2022 for a total amount of $3.5 Million. This NOAA grant is a three year phased award, FY23 through FY25, where the Town was recently notified of the direct award of $290,000 for FY23 for the design and permitting of an upper dam fish ladder. The FY24 grant we are expecting to receive is for the removal of the Mill Pond Dam on the Oyster River including river restoration in the amount of $1.9 Million. The FY25 grant we are expecting to receive is for the construction of the Oyster Reservoir Dam Fish Passage in the amount of $1.3 Million. NOAA has indicated that these funding amounts are expected to be released once cost estimates have been further refined, likely later this summer as the design advances.

In addition to all of the above funding, the Town was just notified today (!) that we were selected to receive an additional $100,000 from the National Fish Passage Program through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Town staff are very aware of escalating costs of materials and labor and take this factor into consideration when writing our applications and speaking with regulatory agencies to advocate for funding. As the designs continue to develop and are further refined, the cost estimates will also be re-evaluated to ensure that the Town both 1) has accurate cost estimates that reflect current dollars, and 2) continues to seek out additional funding if required or can justify additional requests from current grants if available.

As noted last week, the Federal Section 106 Historic Mitigation process for dam removal and river restoration at the Mill Pond Dam on the Oyster River is now under way. 

The Town of Durham is excited to announce the return of the Top Dog raffle. This raffle was created to motivate and remind dog owners to license their pets every year by April 30. Residents automatically register for the Top Dog raffle when they obtain a dog license before April 30. The winner of the Top Dog raffle will receive a gift basket donated by the clerk’s office and their dog’s biography will be featured in the Durham Friday Update. Your dog could be the next Top Dog! 

Dog licenses are available in the Durham Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s office. Durham offers dog licensing online at https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/clerk/dog-license-registration-fees. All dogs must have a valid rabies vaccination to obtain a license, which may be uploaded online or emailed to rdeane@ci.durham.nh.us. Residents may also come into town hall to get a dog license during the clerk’s hours on Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.

RULES & REGULATIONS

• Contestants will automatically be entered into the raffle when they register their dog(s) before April 30 (only open to Durham residents).
• Residents who DO NOT want to be included in the raffle may opt out by writing, calling, or emailing the clerk’s office.
• Contestants must be 18 or older and be the owner of the dog on file with the clerk’s office. Town of Durham employees and elected officials are not eligible.
• The contestant must have a 2023 Town of Durham dog license by April 30. A current rabies vaccination will be required to obtain the license.
• The raffle winner may submit a digital photo and brief biography of their dog. Photos of the 2023 raffle winner’s dog will be included in the Durham Friday Update.

The winner will be drawn at random by clerk’s office in May 2023.

The Town Clerk-Tax Collector’s Office is pleased to announce that Audrey MacKenzie has joined their team as the new Deputy Town Clerk-Tax Collector. 

Audrey is a long-time Durham resident, graduate of Oyster River High School and the University of New Hampshire. She has worked as an Assistant Librarian for the Oyster River Middle School and an Assistant for the Durham Parks and Recreation Department.

In addition to holding a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, Audrey’s professional background includes finance, customer service, and business management. Audrey also volunteers as co-chair for the Oyster River Middle School PTO. 

Audrey will take over for Rachel Deane who was elected as the Town Clerk-Tax Collector on March 28, 2023. 

LAND STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR SARA CALLAGHAN MAKES GREAT PROGRESS IN TRANSITIONING INTO NEW ROLE

Sara Callaghan is the Town’s part-time, contract Land Stewardship Coordinator and has move forward a variety of initiatives over the course of the last month. Below is her report from this past month on the activities she has participated in.

• Supported the Stewarding Our Lands Working Group
• Submitted a draft proposal for updating trail information and signs at Oyster River Forest/Spruce Hole Bog
• Collected trail use information from Infrared Trail Counters at Oyster River Forest
• Reviewed email responses from individuals indicating interest in volunteering on Town lands
• Continued to support Doe Farm Trustees coordination of buckthorn management with the RCCD
• Facilitated the Town’s engagement in the Pike Property Conservation Project, including review and approval of the proposed Stewardship Plan by the Conservation Commission and review of the Baseline Documentation Report
• Along with Rich Reine and Todd Selig, responded to a request for landscaping and benches near the Kenny Rotner bridge and began site review
• Communicated with community members and stakeholders regarding concerns of closing and possible relocating of the “white trail” that spans the Fogg Conservation Easement, UNH Thompson Forest and Carriage Trail Open Space lands
• Coordinated a volunteer work morning to brush out the yellow trail at Longmarsh Preserve and cut back some invasive species within the historic Langmaid homestead site
• Submitted a proposal to host Nature Groupie interns in the month of June

Sara also works to coordinated volunteer workdays for all Town-owned land. The following are the currently scheduled workdays and the volunteers who will be helping her.

• April 19th – Thompson Forest - Buckthorn pull with Philips Exeter students
• April 20th – Jackson Landing - Trail reroute and clean-up with middle school youth group associated with Community Church of Durham
• May 25th – Stolworthy - Garlic Mustard Pull with Oyster River Middle Schoolers
• June 25th – Wagon Hill – mulching and invasive species removal with State 4H program

Other Potential Spring Volunteer Days to be scheduled:

• Longmarsh blue trail – Blue trail reroute and closures; re-route short section of yellow trail
• Stevens Woods – mulching and installing two small boardwalks along the white trail

Incoming Tax Clerk, Rachel Deane, was sworn in by outgoing Town Clerk, Lorrie Pitt (in her "Retirement Crown & Sash") on March 31, 2023. Courtesy, Craig Stevens

HELP TO DECIDE WHAT DURHAM WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE – Consider volunteering to serve on the Planning Board, we’re looking for a few more good people to fill vacancies.

You may have a stake in the Durham of tomorrow, but have you made your voice heard? There is no better time than today to express your view and have a say in how Durham will grow and change. A handful of major downtown projects are on the horizon. They will have a significant impact.  The Planning Board is currently seeking new alternate members. Commitment, a willingness to listen, and engagement are the key requirements. Act now, and become part of the planning process.

The Planning Board regularly meets for a few hours starting at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Town Hall. Prior to each video recorded meeting, members receive a packet of materials that may take three or four hours to review. Periodically the Board schedules site walks and special meetings. In addition, the Board considers larger planning issues such as the Master Plan and zoning amendments, in addition to issues such as the Architectural Regulations approved in 2012. 

New members typically start as alternates and will be provided with training opportunities. Alternates actively participate in discussions and may vote in the absence of a regular member. Interested residents are encouraged to explore the Planning Board's website HERE, from which you may download related documents, and to talk with the Board's Chair (Peter Wolfe) and Michael Behrendt, our Town Planner, who may be contacted by phone at 603-868-8064 or by email at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us

You can also watch recordings of Planning Board meetings HERE. When you're ready, request a Board application from Karen Edwards at 603-868-5771 or by email at kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us

Some have been surprised by the pride they feel from this type of community involvement. 

THE REVALUATION PROCESS FOR ALL REAL PROPERTY IN DURHAM CONTINUES – It’s going smoothly…

Overall Revaluation Progress. Property visits continue. Only 200 properties remain unvisited. Despite weather challenges, the Town’s contract assessors at MRI have conducted over 300 callback appointments. While the vast majority of appointments were full interior inspections, several were phone calls due to inclement weather. This number does not include additional, unscheduled phone appointments which were made on the request of the property owner.

Revaluation Process & Database Preparation. MRI is in the final phases of review. While waiting for data collection to conclude, assessors have updated all tables in the database with preliminary value information. However, before making any final determinations, they will conduct full field review for all property types in April. Assessors may make changes to the data after reviewing properties in the field for consistency and accuracy. Changes may be made to neighborhood factors, site index tables, and various other tables which drive property values. The project will continue to gain momentum in April as MRI closes out project phases 2-4 and begin preparing for Town approvals.

Commercial Valuation| The economic income data is nearly complete. Assessors are finalizing the income file, running reports, and entering any remaining market or actual economic income information. 

As Spring arrives and more bicyclists begin to share the road, please be aware of Durham’s use of shared lane markings known as “sharrows”. A sharrow is a large painted arrow on the road that accompanies an image of a cyclist and is intended to encourage sharing of general-purpose travel lanes by automobiles and bicycles. 

The position of the painted sharrow and direction of the “arrows” indicate the position of travel and suggested lane position for the bicycles.

Durham has sharrows on many of its arterial and collector roadways, notably in areas where narrow lanes exist and where cyclists are encouraged to ride away from parked cars.

For the month of April 2023, the Durham Historic Association will receive a $1 donation for each purchase of a specially marked Bloomin' 4 Good bouquet at the Hannaford store located at 7 Mill Road, Durham NH.

The Durham Historic Association's mission is:

1. To preserve the memory of events connected with the history of the Town of Durham, or of individuals who may have resided there;

2. To serve as guardian of the town's history;

3. To preserve the artifacts of the town's history;

4. To inform and educate the citizens of Durham and others of the history of the town and how contemporary Durham arises out of its past.

With the spring season less than a week old, social media feeds are already filling with users bewildered over the discovery of a tick on themselves or their pet. 

"This early?" they ask, posting a photo of the parasitic pest they found clinging to their pant leg or dog's coat. 

While May and June are certainly the "tickiest" months of the year in New England, said University of Rhode Island Professor of Entomology Dr. Thomas Mather, March and April aren't far behind.

Durham Land Stewardship Coordinator Sara Callaghan reported at this week’s Land Stewardship Subcommittee meeting that she pulled several of the little buggers of her clothes after coming in from walking on one of Durham’s trails.

LAMPREY RIVER LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE

The Lamprey River Advisory Committee has issued their Spring Newsletter. You can read it by clicking HERE.

WILLING TO RE-THINK YOUR LAWN? WILDFLOWERS ARE "BEE-UTIFUL"

Almost everyone who maintains a lawn wants it to “look nice.” But, as the old saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder.” Typically, many residential lawns are maintained as uniform grassy areas. Any flowering plant that is not a “desirable type of grass” is all too often considered a “weed” that needs to be removed. However, many so-called weeds are wildflowers that are highly beneficial to bees, butterflies and other types of pollinators. 

As part of the “Bee-Friendly” Program Initiative, the Durham Agricultural Commission encourages town residents to "Rethink your Lawn."

PUBLIC HEARING ON CLIMATE ACTION MASTER PLAN CHAPTER SET FOR APRIL 26TH

The Planning Board is holding a public hearing on the draft Climate Action Master Plan chapter on Wednesday, April 26. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm and the hearing will be held shortly after that. This draft chapter was prepared by Kyle Pimental, Principal Planner with the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, in collaboration with representatives from all Town departments. The Town adopted 10 chapters of the Master Plan in 2015 and a Future Land Use chapter in 2017.  

Given the critical nature of climate change, the staff and the regional planning agency thought it worthwhile to pursue grant funding to develop this new chapter. The total project cost of $26,310 was covered with a New Hampshire Coastal Resilience Municipal Planning Grant of $17,540, $3,500 from the Town of Durham, and a match in staff and volunteer time equivalent to $5,270. You can view the draft plan HERE. There is a lot of excellent information about climate change in general and its potential impacts upon the Town of Durham. You can see the 2015 master plan documents HERE. Please feel free to speak at the public hearing or to send an email with any comments to the Town Planner at mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us.

• Do you know a young person within the Oyster River Community or beyond aged 15-18 who would benefit from spending days without their cellphone this summer and instead participating in a life changing program that emphasizes healthy living, daily mindfulness and acts of service, hours of public speaking training and more?
• Where the emphasis is for each young person to face their fears, build their empathy muscle, recognize their resilience, learn the joy of giving 110% effort, and of course having fun?
•  All while living with other youth from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, where we encourage them to find what values and experiences they share in common including, most importantly of all, the desire to put in the work to develop the skills necessary to build a more humane and empathetic world for all.

FFI has been offering innovative programs for nearly forty years and they are thrilled to continue to grow and expand to serve more countries around the world in the summer of 2023. If you know anyone that would be interested in the above, then they should consider applying for the summer program by clicking HERE.

As part of the commitment to equity, all applicants accepted to the program receive full scholarships, including airfare, accommodations, activities and meals. Friends Forever is able to provide these thanks to the support from individuals who believe in the FFI mission of helping youth become the best versions of themselves so they can help their community become the best version of itself. 

FFI's world headquarters is right here in Durham, NH.

Four nice young Jewish fellows, each out shopping for Passover, were captured on film this week on Main Street. From left: Rabbi Berel Slavaticki, Dentist Paul Pasternack, Admin. Todd Selig, and Town Planner Michael Behrendt.

CALLING ON ALL DURHAM EV OWNERS ON EARTH DAY!

Durham’s Earth Day event on Saturday, April 22 will once again feature an EV Showcase, presented in cooperation with the National Drive Electric Earth Day campaign. The Energy Committee is requesting that EV or PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid EV) owners register HERE if you are willing to display your EV and share your experience with interested residents: 

Please indicate not only the make, model, and year of your car, but what hours during the 10 AM – 2 PM time period you would be available. Or just come to Durham in your EV on Earth Day to enjoy all that Durham has to offer, and let's see how many EVs we can count in our downtown on Earth Day!  

What happens when Durham’s committees and commissions collaborate on Earth Day?  It becomes a great community event packed with information that can help your family benefit from a more Sustainable Durham!! 

Here are just some of the things planned for Durham’s April 22nd Earth Day event between 10AM and 2PM at 66 Main Street:

• Learn about the benefits of composting and about how it helps the environment – and your garden.
• Learn about new tax credits and rebates available when you weatherize your home or install an energy efficient HVAC system.
• Learn about the sustainable value of local food production and get your questions answered by members of the Agricultural Commission.
• Take an up-close look at Electric Vehicles and talk with dealers and owners.
• Get tips and have your questions answered about recycling right.
• Get first dibs at Swap Shop treasures.
• Explore a working solar system and talk to Durham families about their experiences investing in solar energy.
• Learn about the value of Durham’s conservation work and how you can enjoy our conserved lands.
• Plus, lots more!

Durham Public Works and its contractor, Pichette Brothers Construction will begin work on the Emerson Road Watermain Replacement Project beginning on Monday, April 10th. Construction will be completed in two phases (Edgewood Road to Madbury Road and Edgewood Road to Littlehale Road) with the Edgewood Road to Madbury Road phase occurring first. During each phase, the roadway section will be closed to through traffic during normal business hours, with temporary detours and signage directing motorists to alternate routes as depicted in the maps below. Please direct any questions to Durham Public Works by calling 603-868-5578 or emailing publicworks@ci.durham.nh.us.

Durham Public Works took advantage of the warmer days this week and began its annual street sweeping program. The street sweeper collects everything from organic and aggregate materials to litter. This program is an integral component to the Department’s efforts to mitigate the amount of pollution from storm water runoff, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing roadway surface and curb line.

DPW recently accepted delivery of a new 2023 Elgin Pelican Street Sweeper. This capital purchase was part of the FY22 budget, but delivery was delayed by one year due to supply chain constraints. Pictured above is Public Works Highway Division Team member BJ Austin street sweeping this week in the Bucks Hill neighborhood. 

Durham Public Works’ Highway Division completed repairs to the walking surfaces surrounding the pavilion at Old Landing this week. Several high tides from recent storm events displaced much of the existing gravel creating rutting and ponding in the public gathering area. 

Durham Public Works and instrumentation contractor A&D Instruments replaced the programmable logic controller (PLC) at the Lee Well Water Production Facility this week. The PLC is a specialized type of computer that is used to control and monitor the operations of the facility. The existing antiquated 20+ year-old PLC was obsolete and replacement parts were no longer available. 

Durham Public Works’ Fleet Services Division installed a new 16,000 pound Mohawk automotive vehicle lift this week in the service bays at Public Works. This FY23 capital equipment purchase replaces the existing 25+ year-old, 9,000 pound Mohawk lift that was original to the construction of the facility. The additional hoisting capacity of the new lift will allow the Fleet Services Division to utilize this equipment when performing maintenance on the Department’s larger vehicles including the one-ton dump trucks and aerial bucket truck.

DID YOU KNOW? - MORE ABOUT COMPOSTING

There are a number of benefits to compost that not everyone is aware of. Some examples are listed below:

• Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting food scraps and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.
• Compost reduces and in some cases eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Compost enhances water retention in soils.
• Compost provides carbon sequestration.

If you’ve been thinking about composting, and would consider starting a backyard compost, there is currently an opportunity you may want to take advantage of.

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) is hosting their annual backyard compost bin sale. If you would like to reserve a bin, please bring a check for $63 (a great price!) made out to NRRA to the Durham Public Works office. 

If you have questions about composting, and would like to see a bin before reserving it, visit our IWMAC table at Durham’s Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 22, from 10 to 2. We will have a sample bin there, and can answer your questions . You can also sign up to reserve a bin and drop off your check with us at that time. 

Please note : The deadline to reserve a bin is Monday, April 24 at 4 PM. 

Source: www.epa.gov

Brought to you by the IWMAC Committee

Questions about recycling or composting? Email us at Durhamrecycles603@gmail.com

Durham's Sergeant Brett Pestana attended a two-week First Line Supervisor Training at The Justice System Training and Research Institute at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. The training session represented police departments throughout New England. The courses addressed contemporary concepts of management and leadership relevant to the responsibilities of first line supervisors. Topics discussed included operational leadership and management principles, problem-solving, organizational and interpersonal communications, labor relations, disciplinary issues, and ethical decision-making.

Longtime Durham resident and former Durham Police Sergeant Kathryn Mone has rejoined the Durham Police Department as a part-time officer. Kathryn began her long and distinguished law enforcement career as a police explorer while a student at Oyster River High School. Kathryn went on to obtain her undergrad and graduate degrees from the University of New Hampshire before joining the Durham Police Department as a full-time police officer in 2002. Kathryn worked her way up through the ranks attaining the rank of Sergeant before she left Durham PD to become the Chief of Police for the North Hampton New Hampshire Police Department in 2018. Chief Mone retired from the North Hampton Police Department in March of 2023. 

The Durham Professional Firefighters Local #2253 would like to introduce Smokey the Fire Dog. Smokey will give short tips on Fire Safety, weekly so Parents can generate conversation with their children about Fire Safety. Keep an eye out in the weekly updates These small questions and tips are a great way for you as a Parent to teach your kids about Fire Safety, the more they know the safer they will be.

WEEK #14

You should away close your door when you go to bed.

A closed door keeps smoke and heat out of a room if there is a fire. Click HERE for a link to explain more information. 

OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD RECEIVES 2023 SCHOOL BOARD OF EXCELLENCE AWARD!

Superintendent Morse announced that the Oyster River Cooperative School Board has been selected as the winner of the 2023 School Board of Excellence Award. The New Hampshire School Boards Association (NHSBA) received numerous applications from some very deserving school boards, but the Oyster River submission stood out among the rest. They were particularly impressed with the Board’s Long-Range Planning initiative, stakeholder engagement, and fiscal prudence. NHSBA noted the Board and the three communities should be commended.

As winner, the Board has been invited to attend the NH Excellence in Education Awards (The EDies), on Saturday, June 3, 2023 in Manchester, and to present at the NHSBA Delegate Assembly on Saturday, October 14, 2023 in Concord.

THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IN OYSTER RIVER WILL BE FRIDAY, JUNE 16th

The last day of school in the Oyster River Cooperative School District for the 2022-2023 school year is Friday, June 16, with early dismissal.

Friday, May 26, previously a teacher workshop day, is now a regular school day.

These decisions were made by the Oyster River Cooperative School Board with the interests of students and staff in mind to stabilize the calendar due to the large number of snow days experienced this winter.

THERE WAS A STUDENT WALK-OUT AT OYSTER RIVER HIGH SCHOOL ON APRIL 5th PROTESTING GUN VIOLENCE

On Wednesday of this week at noon there was a nationwide, student-led walkout to protest gun violence. About 125-150 ORHS students chose to participate. A few students spoke about past acts of school violence and protections and laws they wish were in place. Administrators and School Resource Officer Michael Nicolosi were outside with students to make sure they were safe. 

The event lasted about 20 minutes and students went back to their classes. 

The Oyster River Sustainability Committee invites you to a community dinner on Thursday, April 13, 2023, to enjoy a delicious, locally and sustainably sourced spring BBQ dinner (grass-fed beef burgers and hot dogs - each meal also includes a side potato or coleslaw salad, chips, beverage, and dessert) at the High School's cafeteria. All are welcome to join us for this early Earth Day celebration! One bite, and you'll know why our students love their cafeteria so much!

Kindly RSVP by April 11 so we can prepare enough food for everyone and include the total amount of adult(s) and children. Let us know of any special dietary needs in the comments section.

Cost: $8 per adult or $20 per family (a family includes up to 2 adults and children living within the same household).

Date: 04/13/2023 (Thu.) | Time: 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT | Location: Oyster River High School (55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH 03824)

Long-time school psychologist at Moharimet School in Madbury, Carol McEntee, passed away last December. She touched so many in the Oyster River community.  Her Celebration of Life Service will be held on May 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the Community Church of Durham.