Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.

Manchester School District, New Hampshire

From Ballotpedia
Revision as of 22:06, 25 July 2025 by Maggie LeBeau (contribs) (→‎Elections)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search
Manchester School District
School Board badge.png
Manchester, New Hampshire
District details
Superintendent: Jennifer Chmiel
# of school board members: 15
Website: Link

Manchester School District is a school district in New Hampshire.

Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...

Superintendent

BP-Initials-UPDATED.png
 		This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Jennifer Chmiel is the superintendent of the Manchester School District. Chmiel was appointed interim superintendent in February 2022, and full superintendent in May 2022. Chmiel's previous career experience includes working in the district as an assistant superintendent and principal.[1]

Past superintendents

  • John Goldhardt was the superintendent of the Manchester School District from May 2019 until February 2022. Goldhardt's previous career experience includes working as the executive director for school leadership and performance of the Salt Lake City School District in Utah.[2]
  • Bolgen Vargas was the superintendent of the Manchester School District from 2016 to 2019. Vargas' previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Rochester City School District in New York.[3]
  • Debra Livingston was the superintendent of the Manchester School District from 2013 to 2016.[4] Livingston's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Fall Mountain Regional School District and the director of secondary education of the Socorro Independent School District in Texas.[5]

School board

The Manchester School District Board of School Committee consists of 15 members elected to two-year terms. Manchester's mayor formally serves as the chairman of the board. Twelve members are elected by geographic wards in the district, while two members and the mayor are elected at large.[6]


Office Name Date assumed office
Manchester Board of School Committee At-large Peter Argeropoulos January 4, 2022
Manchester Board of School Committee At-large James O'Connell January 7, 2020
Manchester Board of School Committee Chair of the Board Jay Ruais January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 1 Julie Turner March 22, 2021
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 2 Sean Parr January 4, 2022
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 3 Karen Soule January 7, 2020
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 4 Leslie Want 2015
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 5 Jason Bonilla 2021
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 6 Dan Bergeron January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 7 Christopher Potter January 4, 2022
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 8 Jessica Spillers January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 9 Bob Baines January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 10 Joy Senecal January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 11 Elizabeth O’Neil January 2, 2024
Manchester Board of School Committee Ward 12 Carlos Gonzalez September 13, 2021

Elections

See also: Manchester School District, New Hampshire, elections

Members of the Manchester School District Board of School Committee are elected to two-year terms. All 14 elected seats are up for election every odd-numbered year.

Fourteen seats on the board are up for general election on November 4, 2025. A primary was scheduled for September 16, 2025. The filing deadline for the election was July 25, 2025.

Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


Join the conversation about school board politics

Hall Pass

Stay up to date on school board politics!

Subscribe for a weekly roundup of the sharpest commentary and research from across the political spectrum with Ballotpedia's Hall Pass newsletter.


Public participation in board meetings

The Manchester School District Board of School Committee maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[7]

“

Public comment sessions (the “public forum”) shall be conducted at each regular meeting. This allows residents of Manchester the opportunity to address the Board on items of concern affecting the community. The public forum shall last for a minimum of thirty (30) minutes and a maximum of sixty (60) minutes. The Board Chair may extend this period if needed. Members of the public may be given a total of three minutes to speak. Speakers are requested to register their name, address and topic with the clerk prior to the session beginning but are not required to pre-register. The Clerk will recognize speakers using the pre-registered list as a starting point. A registered member of the public cannot relinquish allotted time to another speaker. The presiding officer reserves the right to select speakers of different issues to be permitted to speak, in order to provide a forum of various topics to be presented. If speakers do not fill the minimum 30 minutes allotted for public comment, the Board will keep the public comment period open for the remaining minutes but may engage in the response to public forum and address any business not requiring a vote during this time.

Speakers may offer comments on school operations and programs that concern them. In public session, however, the Board shall not hear personal complaints of school personnel or complaints against any person connected with the District. Other channels are provided for Board consideration and disposition of legitimate complaints involving individuals, which should be referred to the Superintendent. Speakers are requested to refrain from providing confidential information during this comment period.

These standards will be applied equally to all speakers. The Board vests in its Chair or other presiding officer authority to terminate the remarks of any individuals who do not adhere to the rules established above as to content or time limitation.

Persons appearing before the Board are reminded, as a point of information, that members of the Board are without authority to act independently as individuals in official matters.[8]

”

District map

School district map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[9]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $28,171,000 $2,270 13%
Local: $90,738,000 $7,312 43%
State: $92,353,000 $7,442 44%
Total: $211,262,000 $17,024
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $187,833,000 $15,135
Total Current Expenditures: $182,855,000 $14,734
Instructional Expenditures: $122,726,000 $9,889 65%
Student and Staff Support: $17,738,000 $1,429 9%
Administration: $18,366,000 $1,479 10%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $24,025,000 $1,935 13%
Total Capital Outlay: $3,632,000 $292
Construction: $6,000 $0
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $350,000 $28
Interest on Debt: $84,000 $6


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2023-2024[10] $42,025 $82,581
2021-2022[11] $39,250 $81,426

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[12]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 14 25-29 6 6 <50 15-19 19
2018-2019 24 35-39 12 13 21-39 24 29
2017-2018 24 38 12 13 <50 30 28
2016-2017 24 35 12 12 <=20 25-29 30
2015-2016 26 35 13 13 <=20 29 31
2014-2015 27 35 14 15 <50 25-29 32
2013-2014 45 45 29 29 21-39 40-44 51
2012-2013 49 51 30 34 40-59 50-54 55
2011-2012 50 48 30 33 21-39 55-59 56
2010-2011 48 57 28 33 55-59 53

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 27 40-44 17 14 <50 25-29 34
2018-2019 33 45-49 20 19 40-59 38 40
2017-2018 35 47 21 20 <50 39 41
2016-2017 33 43 18 19 21-39 35-39 40
2015-2016 34 42 23 19 21-39 32 40
2014-2015 34 39 22 19 <50 30-34 39
2013-2014 58 53 43 44 40-59 55-59 64
2012-2013 60 55 47 44 60-79 65-69 66
2011-2012 62 60 48 45 40-59 65-69 67
2010-2011 60 62 42 43 55-59 66

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 72 80-89 70-74 55-59 PS 75-79 75
2018-2019 74 80-89 60-64 60-64 PS 70-79 79
2017-2018 78 80-89 80-84 65-69 PS >=80 81
2016-2017 77 90-94 75-79 60-64 >=50 >=80 78
2015-2016 75 90-94 65-69 60-64 PS 60-79 78
2014-2015 76 80-84 65-69 55-59 PS 60-79 80
2013-2014 77 75-79 80-84 60-64 PS 70-79 79
2012-2013 75 70-74 70-74 60-64 >=50 >=80 77
2011-2012 74 70-74 65-69 55-59 >=50 >=50 77
2010-2011 75 70-79 65-69 55-59 >=50 >=50 78


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 12,105 -3.3
2021-2022 12,510 0.8
2020-2021 12,410 -6.8
2019-2020 13,255 -2.0
2018-2019 13,522 -1.3
2017-2018 13,702 -3.8
2016-2017 14,219 -1.2
2015-2016 14,396 -1.2
2014-2015 14,565 1.6
2013-2014 14,336 -0.8
2012-2013 14,452 -1.6
2011-2012 14,680 -7.2
2010-2011 15,731 5.3
2009-2010 14,899 0.1
2008-2009 14,879 -9.6
2007-2008 16,309 -5.2
2006-2007 17,154 -2.1
2005-2006 17,511 -1.3
2004-2005 17,737 0.5
2003-2004 17,655 0.4
2002-2003 17,576 0.8
2001-2002 17,438 0.2
2000-2001 17,407 1.1
1999-2000 17,213 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Manchester School District (%) New Hampshire K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.2 0.2
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 3.8 3.0
Black 10.9 2.1
Hispanic 25.4 6.9
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.1 0.1
Two or More Races 9.9 4.7
White 49.7 82.9

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2022-2023 school year, Manchester School District had 1,038.20 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 11.66.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 20.00
Kindergarten: 47.50
Elementary: 700.90
Secondary: 269.80
Total: 1,038.20

Manchester School District employed 45.00 district administrators and 53.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 45.00
District Administrative Support: 35.00
School Administrators: 53.00
School Administrative Support: 46.00
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 198.90
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 0.00
Total Guidance Counselors: 53.00
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 33.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 20.00
Librarians/Media Specialists: 22.00
Library/Media Support: 1.00
Student Support Services: 98.95
Other Support Services: 218.00


Schools

The Manchester School District operates 21 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Bakersville School325PK-5
Beech Street School473KG-5
Gossler Park School300KG-4
Green Acres School435PK-5
Henry J. Mclaughlin Jr. Middle School6606-8
Henry Wilson Elementary School434KG-5
Highland-Goffes Falls School325PK-4
Hillside Middle School7466-8
Jewett School453PK-4
Manchester Central High School1,1689-12
Manchester Memorial High School1,4059-12
Manchester School Of Technology (High School)3329-12
Manchester West High School772
Mcdonough School446PK-5
Middle School At Parkside8585-8
Northwest Elementary School487KG-4
Parker-Varney School396PK-4
Smyth Road School426PK-5
Southside Middle School7505-8
Webster School389PK-5
Weston Elementary School483PK-5

Noteworthy events

2013: School district audit results published

On June 26, 2013, Curriculum Management Systems published its audit of the Manchester School District. The district spent $40,000 to commission the report.[13] The audit stated, "Declining student enrollment, funding reductions, board disharmony, aging school facilities, and disparities in student performance have been long-standing issues facing the district."[14] The auditors said, "the educational program a student experiences at one school may differ widely from the education a student receives at another school." The auditors recommended that the school board create documentation for district-wide consistent educational programming.[14] Board member Arthur J. Beaudry did not agree with all of the audit's findings and recommendations. Beaudry said, "The board is reluctant to pursue big changes too much because that's seen as micromanaging. So they back up, or at least some board members do."[13]

2013: School board vote to approve Common Core educational standards

On April 29, 2013, the school board voted to approve an $83,900 contract to train district elementary and middle school teachers in the Common Core standards for English and math. Board members Debra G. Langton and Arthur J. Beaudry voted against the contract.[15]

Contact information

Manchester School District logo 2.png

Manchester School District
School Administrative Unit #37
20 Hecker St.
Manchester, NH 03102
Phone: 603-624-6300
Fax: 603-624-6337


About school boards

Education legislation in New Hampshire

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

New Hampshire School Board Elections News and Analysis
Seal of New Hampshire.png
School Board badge.png
Ballotpedia RSS.jpg

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Manchester Ink Link, "Jenn Gillis named new superintendent of Manchester’s public schools," May 11, 2022
  2. ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Goldhardt appointed next superintendent of Manchester schools," May 16, 2019
  3. ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Manchester School Board offers Vargas superintendent's job," September 24, 2016
  4. ↑ WMUR 9 New Hampshire, "Manchester school board selects new superintendent," June 8, 2013
  5. ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Meet Manchester's 3 school superintendent finalists," June 6, 2013
  6. ↑ Manchester School District, "Board of School Committee," accessed May 18, 2021
  7. ↑ Manchester School District, "Rules of the Manchester Board of School Committee 2022-2024," accessed April 18, 2025
  8. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  9. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  10. ↑ New Hampshire Department of Education, "2023 - 2024 Teacher Salary Schedule," accessed April 18, 2025
  11. ↑ Manchester School District ,"Manchester Board of School Committee and the Manchester Education Association School District: May 5, 2020 - June 30, 2022," accessed May 18, 2021
  12. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 New Hampshire Union Leader, "School district audit report lands with a thud," June 29, 2013
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Manchester School District, "Curriculum Audit of the Manchester School District," June 27, 2013
  15. ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Common core education talk draws opponents in Manchester," April 30, 2013
v • e
New Hampshire school districts
Flag of New Hampshire
v • e
State of New Hampshire
Concord (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Manchester_School_District,_New_Hampshire&oldid=10454841"