When West High School Senior Sultan Abdul Aziz walks into school, his first stop is a temperature station in the front lobby. On his way to class in hallways divided by blue tape for social distancing, staff greet him like an old friend.
Abdul Aziz’ nickname to some is “The Mayor.” He’s conversational in so many languages - Sindhi, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic - that he can joke around with students from all over the world.
Angeline Gillispie is a student teacher in the ELL program at Manchester West High School
Credit Sarah Gibson | NHPR
Abdul Aziz’ family immigrated to Manchester from the United Arab Emirates five years ago, and he credits the city’s school for helping him overcome his shyness and feel like he belonged.
Credit Todd Bookman / NHPR
Voters across New Hampshire are choosing school board members today, and in some towns the election has come down to one issue: school reopening.
That’s the case for many residents in SAU 16, which serves Exeter, Brentwood, Kensington, East Kingston, Newfields, and Stratham.
Board chair Helen Joyce, of Stratham, says this is the first time in nine years that someone has run against her. Other historically easy races now have multiple candidates, she says.
“This election is totally different,” she says. “The No. 1 issue on everyone s minds who have children in the system is: Will you bring my child back full time, or won t you?
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Demetrios Tsaros has a tough job: investigating reports of potential child neglect or abuse in Manchester for the state’s Division of Children Youth and Families, or DCYF.
These days, he’s getting lots of reports from schools worried about educational neglect: Kids aren’t logging onto their remote classes, and their parents are also falling off the map.
“Basically, by the time the ed neglect report comes to my desk, the school district has exhausted all these efforts, whether it’s calls, emails, letters, or visits to the home,” Tsaros said. “There’s just been really a lack of engagement with the family.”
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