Stratham board signs onto amicus brief on equity, approves BCBA hire and hears literacy highlights

The Stratham School Board unanimously agreed to attach the district’s name to an amicus brief addressing equity, special education implications and multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS). Board leadership said the filing represents shared values across SAU 16 districts and is not expected to imperil federal funding; estimated filing costs were described as $8,000–$10,000 split among participating districts.

The board also voted to hire Erin Conlon as a board‑certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Board members praised the candidate’s experience and recommended the hire be finalized through normal personnel procedures.

Earlier in the meeting staff literacy interventionists Susan Kopecky and Gretchen B. Harrell described training in the Orton‑Gillingham approach, a multisensory literacy method used to support students who struggle with traditional reading instruction. First‑grade teacher Meg (Maggie) Benyon shared outcomes from a professional development course (Releasing Writers) and showed examples of student writing, highlighting how targeted training is affecting classroom practice.

Board members commended staff for professional development investments and asked for ongoing reporting on outcomes.