February 20, 2026
Dear Parents, Staff, and Families of SAU 90:
It has been a true New England winter… just look at the piles of snow! Given the unsettled patterns of weather, we continue to keep our eye to the sky to be sure we are being mindful of the safety of our community. Canceling school, delaying the start, or providing an early release day are decisions we do not take lightly. Keeping the best interest and the safety of everyone, these decisions are made in collaboration with First Student, town officials, SAU 21, and even the National Weather Service/Homeland Security Emergency Management.
It has been a very busy week here as we gear up for the winter break. Students have been working hard in their classes as units wrap up and assessments are completed. During my walk through earlier in the week, I saw first-hand the complicated math students were working on, reading assessments being administered, problem solving in STEAM, and engaging literacy lessons and activities. Yesterday, Hampton Academy hosted a unified basketball game with Timberlane School District, and this morning, our jazz band greeted students at the gym entryway. Great things happen in our schools every day! Did you have a chance to see the news release of one of our fourth graders who happens to be a national finalist? Check it out!
Earlier this month, Business Administrator Mariah Curtis and I had the opportunity to meet with the PTA to review our warrant articles which the town will consider at the polls on March 10. Our proposed budget is 1.24% over the default budget. Please note that the “default budget”
includes encumbered funds already voted on last spring, such as teacher and support staff contracts. You can find an overview of the warrant articles and estimated tax impact on our website. We also discussed the Cook Center newsletter and calendar.
March 2 is the official Read Across America date, which is also the birthday of beloved children’s book author, Theodor Geisel, Dr. Seuss. We celebrate literacy everyday knowing the impact reading and writing has on student learning and success! To that end, there will be some great activities planned with our students and the schools when we return from the break. In honor of this day, we encourage everyone to read a great book over the winter break.
Warmly,
Dr. Lois B. Costa
Superintendent
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