From Rob Widdick:
Hello, Neighbors!
Before diving in, I want to set the tone for this conversation. This topic may stir emotions, and that’s okay: it's because we care. I just ask that we all take a moment to reflect before reacting so our discussion stays constructive and hopeful.
FSD Teachers Deserve Our Support
Farmington
is full of people who care deeply about our kids, our schools, and
ultimately our community's future. After only being here for a little
over a year, I've seen firsthand at the potential we have and how great
everyone has been. Our teachers are at the heart of that: showing up
every day, giving so much of themselves, and shaping the next generation
with extremely limited resources.
That's why I'd love for everyone to take a few minutes to understand the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) currently being negotiated, which directly impacts how we value, retain, and attract our educators.
Watch Brittni Widdick's thoughtful remarks to the School Board here: https://www.youtube.com/live/CfhG13XNxiM...
Handout she shared with the board: https://acrobat.adobe.com/.../urn:aaid:sc:US:1c2299cf...
A Few Key Facts
- Farmington ranks 159th out of 162 districts in NH for average teacher pay.
- A teacher with 15 years and a master's degree in Farmington still earns less than a first-year teacher in Portsmouth.
- According to MIT's Living Wage Calculator, a single person in Strafford County needs $54,308/year just to get by and many teachers here don't reach that until year 10+.
- Dedicated educators continue to deliver strong outcomes despite these challenges. This is proof of their passion and commitment.
But low pay leads to turnover,
burnout, and difficulty attracting experienced teachers. This is a
cycle that affects our kids, our schools, and even our town's ability to
grow.
Why This Matters to Everyone
When
teachers feel supported and stable, students thrive. Strong schools
attract families, boost property values, and strengthen our local
economy. It's all connected--teacher pay isn’t just a school issue; it's
a community investment.
Where Do We Go from Here?
I
believe Farmington has incredible potential to break this cycle and
become a model for small towns investing in education wisely.
We don't want taxes to rise unnecessarily, but we do
want to ensure our tax dollars reflect our priorities. That means
getting creative: looking at our school and town budgets together,
encouraging affordable housing and new business development, and
identifying ways to make our district more competitive.
If
we come together with open minds and optimism, I truly believe we can
find solutions that make Farmington stronger for teachers, students, and
every resident.
We All Share the Same Goals:
- Great schools
- Thriving teachers
- Smart kids setup for success
We
would love to hear your thoughts, and more importantly, see you in the
upcoming school board meetings on the first and third Monday of every
month at 5:30PM at the High School. You can also email the school board
members directly:
- Joel Chagnon, Chairperson - jchagnon@sau61.org
- Stacy Lauze, Vice Chair - slauze@sau61.org
- Nicole Doyle - ndoyle@sau61.org
- Jessica Parker - jessparker@sau61.org
- Sharon Johnston - sjohnston@sau61.org
--
We would be thrilled to answer any questions or concerns you have collaboratively. Thank you!
