Summer Hours June 17-August 23, 2024
Oyster River School Board members received the School Board of the Year Award from the New Hampshire School Boards Association. First row, from left, School Board members Brian Cisneros and Heather Smith, and Chair Denise Day; Second row, Superintendent James Morse, School Board member Thomas Newkirk. Not pictured: School Board Vice Chair Matthew Bacon, School Board members Daniel Klein and Giana Gelsey, former School Board members Yusi Turell and Michael Williams, and Student Representative Paige Burt.
The Oyster River Cooperative School District shares that both Business Administrator Susan Caswell and its School Board were honored during the annual New Hampshire Excellence in Education Awards.
Caswell received the Alexander J. Blastos Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her professionalism and dedication to Oyster River. The Award is presented annually by the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officers, which supports the profession through certifications, ongoing mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Caswell has served in a number of elected positions on the NHASBO Executive Committee, as well as volunteered for a number of committees to benefit the profession.
School Board members accepted the School Board of the Year Award from the New Hampshire School Boards Association (NHSBA). This award acknowledges the leadership, teamwork, and effectiveness of school boards, and provides an opportunity for the chosen board to share its expertise with others throughout the State.
The Oyster River School Board was nominated by Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig and community stakeholders for its exceptionalism in a number of areas including communication and transparency; attracting and retaining high-quality faculty and staff; management of the COVID-19 pandemic; and its ongoing work in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
"The ORCSD School Board always places students' needs first while thoughtfully considering the potential impact on taxpayers," Superintendent James Morse said.
"This balance has made the District the exceptional school system it is today."
The awards were presented during the “EDies” ceremony on June 3 in Manchester.
Business Administrator Susan Caswell, right, received the Alexander J. Blastos Distinguished Service Award from the New Hampshire Association of School Business Officers. With her are, from left, husband Al Caswell and son Andrew Caswell.