Lancaster Elementary School

Dear White Mountains Regional School District Families,

Tomorrow morning, we have the privilege of welcoming our students back to school, and I could not be more excited to begin the 2026–2027 school year.

Last week, as our staff gathered to prepare for the year ahead, I challenged them to “see the kid,” to look beyond a test score, behavior, disability, or circumstance and recognize the potential in every student who walks through our doors. I reminded them that we may never fully know the impact of a simple act of encouragement, support, patience, or belief in a child, but those moments can stay with a student for a lifetime.

As we begin tomorrow, I also want to acknowledge that this will be a year of significant change for our school district.

We are implementing Alma, our new student information system; transitioning to a new bus company; welcoming our 7th and 8th grade students to White Mountains Regional Middle High School as part of our district reconfiguration; working with new building and district administrators; and navigating new educational rules and requirements that affect what and how we teach.

Each of these changes represents a significant undertaking, and several are happening simultaneously. While our staff has worked incredibly hard to prepare, we know there will be bumps along the way. Something may take longer than expected. A new system may not work exactly as anticipated. A transportation question may need to be worked through. A process that was familiar last year may look different this year.

We ask for your patience and partnership as we work through these changes together.

When something doesn't go as planned, please know that we will work to understand the problem, communicate as clearly as we can, and make adjustments as needed. I also encourage you to reach out to us with questions and concerns. Strong schools are built through strong partnerships between families, educators, students, and our communities.

Amid all of this change, however, the most important part of our work has not changed at all: our students. Tomorrow morning, approximately 900 young people will walk through our doors with different strengths, challenges, hopes, worries, and possibilities. Our responsibility is to make sure they are known, supported, challenged, and given every opportunity to succeed.

Thank you for trusting us with your children and for partnering with us in this work. I am incredibly excited about the year ahead and grateful for the opportunity to serve this district and our communities.

Here's to a wonderful first day and a successful 2026–2027 school year.

Together for our students,

Rob Scott

2026 COÖS COUNTY SUMMER MEAL SITES

WMRHS North Country Scholars - Alexis Hicks (Valedictorian), Axcie Hamilton (Salutatorian), and Margarette Bolduc (CTE Student)