I write to introduce “Concord Concerned Citizens,” a grassroots group dedicated to enhancing education in our community. We believe every child deserves a top-notch education and strive to work with the school board, staff, and residents to achieve this. Our values include open communication, collaboration, and transparency to ensure excellence in education. Our goals focus on strengthening schools, advocating for resources, and prioritizing student well-being and success. We encourage readers to add their voices to our initiative to make a difference for our children and community.

In a recent informal survey of New Hampshire’s 30 most populated areas, 24% of the contacted school districts confirmed middle schools with auditoriums and seating capacities varying from 120 in Conway to 933 in Keene. The remaining majority (76%), use gymnasiums or cafeterias for similar purposes. School districts were contacted via email, and those who did not respond via email were phoned directly. Nashua’s three middle schools do not have dedicated auditoriums. They utilize cafeteria stages for flexibility. Here in Concord, the Rundlett School’s activity room functions as the auditorium, other city venues boast varying seating capacities: high school (600), City Auditorium (835), Capitol Center (1,304), and the McAuliffe Planetarium with 200 seats. Why these findings matter: They raise the question of why another auditorium is needed at a new Concord middle school and what will it cost the taxpayer.

Jeff Wells

Concord