BRISTOL — Watching this year’s seniors graduate from Newfound Regional High School brought home to Interim Superintendent Steven Nilhas what a big moment that is for them and their families. “That really says it all about how important schools are for all kids,” he said as he reflected on the challenging year he is completing.
As of July 1, Nilhas will be returning to SAU 84, which oversees the Littleton School District. The new superintendent, Paul Hoiriis, will be in charge of navigating the difficult path forward as School Administrative Unit 4 prepares for the departure of three of the seven towns that make up the Newfound Area School District. As of July 1, 2025, there will be just four towns to share the costs associated with providing their students’ education, including the administrative personnel in the central office.
Asked what he will take away from his one-year experience at Newfound, Nilhas said that some of the questions asked by the community “really resonated with me”.
“I think, pay attention to the details,” he said. “Make sure that your communication with the community is clear, that it’s robust. Go the extra mile. Tell more, not less; share more information, be more open.”
He continued, “We need to be very, very careful with student data and respect their privacy. I think when we talk about a partnership with parents that we truly engage in a partnership, that we do understand parental rights and engage parents in a partnership around their rights as parents and what’s best for kids. Even someone who’s done this for a few years, you can always learn. I learned a lot this year, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn a lot of things that I think will serve me well going forward.”
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