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The start of the winter holidays brings a special energy to our schools. Concerts and theater performances along with the excitement of winter sports, and the warmth of service projects that remind us how connected our community truly is. From the classrooms to the ice rinks to a tremendous donation of food and goods to LISTEN, our students, faculty, and staff continue to demonstrate curiosity, compassion, and resilience, qualities that reflect the best of our district.

As we close out the calendar year, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our staff, families, and community partners for your ongoing support. Your collaboration helps make Lebanon not just a school district, but a caring community where every student can thrive. I wish you all a joyful, restorative holiday season and a bright start to the new year.

We are so grateful for our community’s strong support, which contributes to growing student enrollment even as many districts face declines. The Lebanon School District has begun developing the 2026-2027 budget, with an initial proposal of $58.66 million—an increase of 7.11% over the current year. Major cost drivers include rising wages (+$828,407), benefits (+$1.5 million), capital improvement projects (+$966,040), and tuition for special education and the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center (+$568,585). Despite a state Supreme Court ruling that New Hampshire is underfunding public education, the Legislature has not acted, leaving Lebanon responsible for nearly $4 million that should come from the state.

In response to economic pressures, the School Board has requested four reduced budget scenarios, ranging from 2% to 7% increases. District leaders will prioritize potential reductions with a student-centered focus and present updated scenarios on December 10th. We encourage community participation at upcoming budget meetings in January 2026.

The next time you go to the polls, you can pick up an “I Voted” sticker designed by a Lebanon Middle School Student.

Mahima Singh’s design is one of six winners in the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s 2025 “I Voted” Sticker Contest. More than 2,800 4th and 5th graders statewide entered the contest. The stickers will be distributed across New Hampshire during the 2026 state elections.

Mahima, a 5th grader at Lebanon Middle School, drew inspiration for her design from the New Hampshire Big Book she made as a 4th grader in Liz Russell’s class at Hanover Street School. 

The Lebanon School District is deeply grateful for a recent donation of $15,788 from FUJIFILM Dimatix to support the district’s food service program. This generous contribution helps ensure Lebanon students continue to have access to healthy, filling meals at school

Lebanon School District administrators have developed a draft budget for the 2026–2027 school year, built collaboratively across all schools and aligned with the district’s mission and strategic goals. The district continues to serve more than 1,694 students with strong outcomes, including Lebanon High School’s recent ranking as the #2 public high school in New Hampshire. The FY27 proposal considers student needs, instructional quality, staffing, operations, and capital improvements, with full transparency through publicly available budget documents. Rising healthcare costs—now projected to increase 19.6%—pose significant fiscal challenges, contributing to a proposed operating budget of $58,563,737, a 6.93% increase over the current year. We know we will need to make difficult choices, so we are seeking community input before making any reductions. Our annual budget work session is on Saturday, November 22, at 8:00 a.m. at Lebanon Middle School. We invite feedback to ensure a responsible, student-centered final budget proposal.

November invites us to pause and reflect. The vibrant pace of fall is giving way to quieter days, and in our schools, the steady work of teaching and learning continues to take deeper root.

This season also reminds us of the power of gratitude. I am thankful for our students, whose curiosity and energy bring our classrooms, stages, and athletic fields to life; for our dedicated staff, who go above and beyond, and for our families, whose support strengthens our community.