The Northwood CrankPullers Snowmobile Club will be hosting a Snowmobile Safety Course for ages 12-15 at Lake Shore Farm, 275 Jenness Pond Rd, Northwood, NH on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 8 am to 2 pm. Lunch will be provided. To register, contact club President, Jeremy DeTrude at 603-942-8478 (H) or 603-425-8791 (C) between the hours of 8:00 am and 7:00 pm. And as always we really appreciate our landowners and are always looking for new members. www.northwoodcrankpullers.com.

Northwood School Annual Holly Fair

December 10, 2011, 9-2

If you have any interest in having a vendor table or if you have any questions, please call or email:

Sheryl Meeker 568-0983, [email protected]; Beth Davis 942-8286, [email protected]; or Kathy Thoms 942-8137, [email protected]

Letter To The Editor

This is the second of four letters that are meant to address the question, are special education costs, in part, robbing Northwood regular education students of an adequate education. It is by design a provocative question. I believe that the answer is undeniably yes.

Money is what almost all of those living on the taxpayer bosom tell us is needed. They have no real solutions. But those who would lower or take away school funding aren’t any better. Last March 5th Selectman Holden at the annual School District said it perfectly, "you are either part of the problem or part of the solution".

Lowering special education costs without hurting special needs students is the solution and a difficult nut to crack. The entire special education world is a self feeding, self promoting growth industry that frankly wants to get bigger. The costs are out of sight. Why do some towns keep them down? Luck? I don’t think so. Management? Mmmm.

Secrecy is special education’s safety net. There are laws protecting special needs students and parents with a degree of privacy. Good! But there is an aura of secrecy promoted that far out shadows those laws. Taxpayers also have rights but they are daunted by the difficulties of seeing that their money is rightfully spent. Remember, special education overspent their budget last year by $528,000. Maybe they had to, I as a taxpayer don’t know.

The School Board was asked to request a free Dept. of Education independent audit of the overspend, special education procedures and IEP protocols. The request was voted down. That overspend to a taxpayer with a home worth $250,000 added about $280.00 to their tax bill. Taxpayers have a right to know. "Trust but verify", said Ronald Reagan.

Tim Jandebeur

Father and taxpayer

Northwood

Letter

We are all gifted and talented.

Shame on you, Mr. Jandebeur, for your lack of understanding and compassion for the less fortunate among us! How dare you pit regular education or gifted students against our special needs children?

This is, in my opinion, open discrimination. The gifted and talented among us will shine with or without additional help – however, it is both our social and Christian duty, to assist those with physical, behavioral or learning-based disabilities.

I am a local small-business woman who regularly shares my "gifts and talents" with the children of Northwood School, by providing free educational presentations and donating materials and products. I am surrounded by community members who also have much to offer the students of Northwood School and so I call upon them to take part in volunteering and sharing enrichment activities with all of our students – giving more than just their taxpayer dollars! And I call upon the School Administration to welcome them in.

Mr. Jandebeur, as a school board member you should really look at the effectiveness of the staff at the School in using the monies which are available and further investigate ways to prevent costly lawsuits, Due Process hearings and Out of District Placements before ridiculing Special Needs students, or their parents, and the rising costs of services to support them.

If our Special Education students grow up to "never ever have a job" then we have failed them, failed society and failed our future because all children are our future and a society is best judged by how it treats its weakest members.

Respectfully Submitted

Debra Locke

Northwood

The Great Northwood Turkey Raffle

Announcing to one and all, the Great Northwood Turkey Raffle will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 7 - 9 pm at St. Joseph’s Church Parish Hall, Route 4, Northwood, NH. Proceeds will benefit the Northwood School’s 6th grade class trip.

The Great Northwood Turkey Raffle will consist of 24 raffles, held promptly every five minutes beginning at 7:00 pm sharp (doors open at 6:30 pm) and ending at 9:00 pm sharp.

The $1.00 tickets will only be sold in the 5 minutes directly before each raffle. The winner of each raffle will receive a frozen 12-14 pound turkey plus a multiple item prize package, generously donated by local regional businesses.

This promises to be an exciting and fun filled event for all ages featuring free child and adult door prizes, music, plus free fresh local cider, coffee and donuts.

Contact coordinator Michael Sullivan at (603) 817-2400 with questions or for more information.

Letter

Tim, regarding your letter from last week, that had to be one of the most bold letters I have ever read. And, unfortunately one of the most truthful and honest I have ever read.

This school system is a joke that is for sure and the money spent is ridiculous, my son is a A student who is bored out of his mind with no advanced classes. But you are right, special education gets all the money and for what? And I can say I work both sides of this coin. I worked and still do work with special needs kids and I have a son who is an A student. My son is being ripped off by this town and the crazy spending. It’s great that all kids get a chance to be "main streamed" but let’s face reality just like you said.

Thanks for your boldness; someone had to say it.

Janet Delfuoco

Letter

Dear Suncook Valley Sun:

I was most appalled by the article written by Mr Jandebeur in your November 2nd issue. The fact that your paper actually printed it, how disappointing. Didn’t anyone even read this before printing it? How ignorant, rude, and hurtful Mr. Jandebeur’s comments are. Obviously to ruffle some feathers and definitely not make any friends, but at what cost?

To insult Special Needs children by saying that they will never acquire a job and to insult parents who have children without Special Needs by saying that they are lazy are the two most ignorant and ridiculous comments I have ever read.

Shame on your newspaper for printing Mr Jandebeur’s Letter to the Editor.

Monday, November 7th

School Board Meeting

Northwood School

511 1st NH Turnpike

Time: 7 pm

You should be there to listen in and see how this thoughtless article has infuriated and affected the parents of Northwood.

Very disheartened and disappointed in your newspaper.

Sincerely,

Lisa Marks

Mary Ann Bailey

Mary Ann Bailey, 82, of Sarasota, FL died October 28, 2011, immediately entering the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Services will be held in late spring/early summer 2012 in Northwood, NH.

She was predeceased by her husband, Carroll C. Bailey; brother, Leslie R. Tasker Jr.; and son, Leslie R. Vaughn-Dunn.

She is survived by her sons, Charles M. Noyes Jr. of Nottingham, NH, Charles E. Bailey of Levant, ME, and Andy Noyes of Keller, TX; and daughters, Cheryl Ann Fitzgerald of Laconia, NH, Betty Olivolo of Northwood, NH, and Beverly Copeland of Northwood, NH.

Mary Ann was blessed richly by God with a loving family which included two sisters, Phyllis Wells of Perkasie, PA, and Ruth Moehrle of Allentown, PA; and sister-in-law, Christine Tasker of Sarasota, FL; 13 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; and sons and daughters-in-law.

Mary Ann enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends. She loved bringing her family to Boston Red Sox games, the theatre, and hosting them in Sarasota. We know of no one who sent more cards and letters to family and friends to share her love, care, and prayers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society. John 14:6; John 3:16-17.