The
Manchester Essex Regional School District is a high achieving community
committed to educating all students, inspiring passion, instilling a love of
learning, and developing local and global citizenship. MERSD has made significant progress in
fulfilling its goals as outlined in the Strategic and District Improvement
Plans. Academic highlights include
establishing the District as a leader in innovative and inclusive instructional
practices that meet the needs of all learners; developing programs and systems
to support the belief system of whole child education; institutionalizing a
philosophy of inclusion, tolerance, and cultural awareness both locally and
globally; and expanding course offerings for middle level learners.
MERSD
spent significant time and effort this year analyzing and addressing three important
financial challenges: (1) declining
school choice revenue, and (2) dependency on reserve funds, and (3) long-term
liabilities/OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) funding. Through a collaborative effort with
Manchester Essex Teachers Association, the MERSD School Committee successfully
renegotiated its health care agreement in a manner that generated annual
revenue to support the establishment of an OPEB Trust Fund and put MERSD on a
path to full funding.
With
the endorsement of the Essex and Manchester Boards of Selectmen and Finance, as
well as town meeting participants, MERSD has put forth a budget that seeks to
correct the structural issues of declining school choice revenue and dependency
on reserve funds. On behalf of the
faculty and staff of MERSD, we extend our sincere appreciation to the residents
of the communities of Manchester and Essex for their unwavering support of our
students and of our schools. Although
there has been tremendous support for our request thus far, the Manchester Town
Election is the last step in having out budget formally approved. Please
remember to visit the polls on May 19th.
