City seeks ownership of former school
Lebanon Mayor Tim McNamara asked the school district to turn over ownership of the former Seminary Hill School building to the city for use as a community center. In turn, the city would pay for repairs for the 1901 building, which houses the district s administrative offices. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
To allow for social distancing, the gymnasium in the former Seminary Hill School building was used for Advanced Placement testing for high school students in West Lebanon, N.H., on May 24, 2021. Lebanon Mayor Tim McNamara recently asked the Lebanon school district to turn over ownership of the former Seminary Hill School building to the city for use as a community center. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Developer appealing Lebanon’s decision to torpedo Prospect Hills housing project
Modified: 5/15/2021 10:58:26 PM
LEBANON A Manchester development firm is using a new avenue in its appeal of the city’s decision to effectively kill a 117-unit housing project near Lebanon Middle School, saying the proposal was met with “hostility and dislike” by officials.
Brady Sullivan argues the Lebanon Planning Board acted unfairly when it voted unanimously in March to deny the Prospect Hills subdivision an extension needed to start work on its second phase.
At the time, officials said they’d allowed the developer enough leeway. The second phase a mix of single-family homes and townhouse-style units on a 40-acre wooded parcel off Prospect Street was first proposed 15 years ago, and the Planning Board issued renewals in 2016 and 2018.
Lebanon debates need for police officer in schools
Modified: 4/29/2021 11:07:14 PM
LEBANON City residents this week debated whether to do away with Lebanon’s school resource officer position as the School Board prepares to take a decisive vote on the matter next month.
About 20 people spoke about the job in-person and virtually during Wednesday night’s regular School Board meeting, attempting to sway the nine elected officials to their side.
Most argued that the post does more harm than good, particularly to students of color who might not feel comfortable with an armed officer patrolling their schools.
Daniel Chaffee, who said he has children of color, told the board that his kids have discussed being afraid of police.
Lebanon debates need for police officer in schools
Published: 4/30/2021 5:33:25 PM
Lebanon residents this week debated whether to do away with Lebanon’s school resource officer position as the School Board prepares to take a decisive vote on the matter next month.
About 20 people spoke about the job in-person and virtually during Wednesday night’s regular School Board meeting, attempting to sway the nine elected officials to their side.
Most argued that the post does more harm than good, particularly to students of color who might not feel comfortable with an armed officer patrolling their schools.
Daniel Chaffee, who said he has children of color, told the board that his kids have discussed being afraid of police.
Jim Kenyon: Police reform can start in our schools
Modified: 4/24/2021 9:48:48 PM
The call for police reform has captured a lot of attention and hearts in the Upper Valley during the last year.
But sooner or later, the Upper Valley’s reform movement needs a win a substantive policy change that signals progress. (Several communities have passed so-called “welcoming ordinances” designed to protect undocumented immigrants, but they seem more symbolic than anything.)
That’s why so much is riding on what the Lebanon School Board decides in the coming weeks about its school resource officer position.
For 20 years, Lebanon school officials have bought into the fairy tale that deploying an armed cop to patrol the hallways of the city’s high school and middle school should be standard operating procedure.