SAU 90 Off to an 'Exciting,' 'Challenging' Start

Like any new endeavor, the staff at expected several challenges to arise while creating their entirely new administrative entity.

What they didn't expect, though, was just how fun some of those challenges would be.

SAU 90 Superintendent Kathleen Murphy and Business Administrator Nathan Lunney said it's "exciting" to be on the ground floor of the new administrative unit for , and .

Murphy and Lunney head a lean office of four, and each said the little things like installing a new software system, making sure employees got their first paychecks, and getting acquainted with thousands of new faces has made SAU 90's start "exciting."

"The fun part is the challenges," said Murphy, who previously was the director of the state Department of Education's Division of Instruction and a superintendent in Newmarket. "I know that sounds a little suspect, but it's really fun to be able to come up with solutions to help people with their questions."

"Plus, to do it all with a third grade classroom on the other side of the wall is really great," said Lunney, who previously was the Chief Financial Officer for the Exeter School District. "That's a constant reminder of why we do this."

Not every challenge, though, has be pleasant for SAU 90, which opened in a wing of Marston School on July 1 thanks to a long-fought effort to get the Hampton School District its own SAU.

Among the first things the district had to do was , including six teachers and the Centre School's assistant principal, to deal with a $585,600 budget shortfall caused by changes in the state retirement system. 

Murphy said this wasn't an easy decision for SAU 90 or the Hampton School Board, and took away from an otherwise joyous start for the new unit.

"We knew it was coming, though," said Murphy. "It's unfortunate given the state of the economy. We know people are still struggling, so district has to be sensitive to that."

Aside from the budget issues, Lunney said the biggest road bump has been just getting the new technology systems and procedures fully functional.

The district will continue to focus on these systems, most of which Murphy said have been in place but just "need to be brought up to the SAU 90 standard."

The district also plans to focus strongly on informing the community why a separate SAU was needed in the first place.

"They might not be convinced of that yet," said Murphy. "We have a lot of work to do. We have to show them that it was a good decision and show them their money is well spent."

Before the split, Hampton's elementary and middle schools were a part of , which also oversees schools in Hampton Falls, North Hampton, Seabrook and South Hampton.

SAU 21 also oversees , a regional high school located in Hampton that serves all of the above towns, and Murphy said the sheer number of these schools drastically reduced the "time administrators had in each community."

Hampton was looking for more time focused on its students, and Lunney said the amicable separation with SAU 21 was sealed once they discovered a new SAU would save Hampton about $150,000 in the first year alone even with an added $212,000 in SAU 90 startup and renovation costs.

In addition to get word out about current and future savings, Murphy said the focus now needs to be on providing a tangible measure of student output.

She said the school board's main goal is to focus on improving student education over the next three years and providing detailed reports along the way.

Murphy said these things are vital because they will help show, albeit slowly, the benefits of a separate SAU office as well as convert any individuals still harboring doubts about the decision. 

"It's hard to do that because the real measure is how well the kids do," she said. "In time we'll be able to show that and prove that this step was needed."