By Rod Hansen
Staff Writer

Glen Lake Principal Leslie Doster participates in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with students representing the kindergarten and the 3- and 4-year-old preschool at the school’s dedication ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 1. The school’s first day of classes was Monday, Oct. 2. (The Goffstown News/Rod Hansen)

Capping off a process many believe began two decades ago, the Glen Lake School opened to become the town’s first public kindergarten.

Approximately 100 kindergarten students entered the school doors on Monday, Oct. 2, with an additional 50 expected to attend with the opening of a preschool program for 3-year-old and 4-year-old students.

An air of triumph marked the dedication ceremony and open house on Sunday, Oct. 1, as school district administrators and Glen Lake staff welcomed members of the public to view the newest addition to SAU 19.

Superintendent of Schools Darrell Lockwood received enthusiastic applause upon welcoming about 120 invited guests to the school dedication. School Board Chairman Keith Allard said the turnout was excellent despite everyone having to cope with heavy rains that afternoon in order to come out to the dedication.

Noting that the town’s first kindergarten committee formed in the 1980s, Lockwood said the building reflected hard work and compromise from the community.

“The dedication of this building is the beginning of many dreams, and marks the coming together of people who disagreed over its location,” Lockwood said.

Voters approved the kindergarten proposal in 2004. The original planned site on Tibbetts Hill Road sparked litigation from residents in the area, and delayed construction until voters approved the transfer of town-owned land across from the waterfront at Glen Lake to the school district one year later. Construction began on the $2.8 million school building project last November.

The finished building, which is 16,000 square feet with 10 classrooms, was named Glen Lake School based on an entry received in a community-wide naming contest.

Lockwood also recognized Maple Avenue Elementary School Principal Marc Boyd in his remarks, noting that several former Maple Avenue teachers will now call Glen Lake home, and that Leslie Doster, former assistant principal at Maple Avenue, is set to serve as Glen Lake’s inaugural principal.

“In some ways we’ve got two new buildings, Lockwood said.

One former Maple Avenue teacher who will continue her career at Glen Lake was also a longtime member of the kindergarten committee.

“I’m thrilled, and this has been a long time coming,” said Kathy Stoyle, who served as a Title I reading teacher at Maple Avenue last year and will now teach kindergarten at Glen Lake School. Stoyle served on the kindergarten committee for five years.

Kathleen Flegal, who will begin her career in education as a paraprofessional in the 3-year-old preschool program, is also a Goffstown resident with children who will attend the school.

Flegal brought twin daughters Victoria and Stephanie, 5, to the Glen Lake opening ceremony so the girls could see where they would begin attending kindergarten the following day.

“This is a beautiful school, and the staff here is unbelievable,” Kathleen Flegal said. “Everyone is super excited about the opening.”

Along with housing the district’s first public kindergarten program, Glen Lake will also contain an integrated preschool program with two classrooms of approximately 20 students each.

The kindergarten will run half-day programs in two sessions, with morning classes from 8:40 to 11:10 a.m. and afternoon classes from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The sounds of excitement echoed through the hallways of Glen Lake School as families streamed in for the community open house. Allard said board member Scott Gross had planned much of the event in advance, including food, chairs and donated flowers.

Jerry Agate, head of district maintenance, was on hand to direct traffic and had also overseen some aspects of setting up the classrooms.

Parents who came to the open house spoke highly of the school, and said they looked forward to their children attending.

“It’s exciting to see the new school, and it’s perfect timing to have it opening up now,” said Dan Nolan, who came to the opening ceremonies with wife Rachel and daughters Emmah, 5, and Brooke, 3. Emmah begins her school experience as a Glen Lake kindergarten student this year.

“We knew that kindergarten was coming to Goffstown, and it’s lucky that it’s starting when (Emmah) is entering kindergarten.”