Survey Says: Coe-Brown is Preferred Choice

The Deerfield School Board conducted a survey 04/07/2021 with a question asking the current parents of DCS (K-8) which high school they prefer. Over 200 parents responded. The results were staggering:


The Deerfield School Board also reported Coe-Brown as the preferred High School in this “Schools By Weighted Rank” spreadsheet. Concord High didn’t even make it into the Top 3, yet the Board is still offering CHS as our only option…

Distance & Transportation

The Deerfield School Board conducted a survey in 2021, with the following question, asking the current parents of DCS (K-8) “How important do you think each of the following will be to you or your student in making high school a good or bad experience?” See the results below on the left… The same year, the DCS Board also conducted a survey with the then current Concord High School students asking them to rate their satisfaction with transportation options. See those results below on the right…

In addition to the K-8 parent survey, the DCS Board also conducted a survey with UNH in 2009, asking the current Concord High School parents & students “For your child and your family, what are the disadvantages or difficulties of attending Concord High School?” Here are those results:

One of Concord High’s biggest disadvantages for our community is its distance & transportation issues.

High School Enrollment (2006-2021)

Why should the Concord school district be willing to eliminate guaranteed attendance clause from the contract with the Deerfield school district?! Because they have collapsing enrollment…down over 15% in the last decade, and down 19.3% in the past 14 years (the time frame for which data is publicly available from the NH Department of Education)! They are desperate for students (read REVENUE)!

Doing the work that the Deerfield school board cannot be bothered to do…or even assign to staff to do…

When we look at whether we can get a contract with CHS that does NOT include a 90% enrollment requirement … Kevin has highlighted why CHS would do this. CHS, like many public schools, is facing decreased enrollment. That puts Deerfield in a very good negotiating position. Once we vote the current CHS contract down in March, the one that requires all of our students to attend Concord and does not allow school choice … Deerfield can work toward a school choice model and a Concord contract without the 90% requirement.

OPEN LETTER to Deerfield School Board

Email Submitted to the Deerfield, NH School Board 08/26/2022 at approximately 9:10am:

I am writing to ask the DCS Board to consider updating our High School Contract to Coe-Brown Northwood Academy (instead of Concord High), or at least OFFER FAMILIES A CHOICE for what high school their child(ren) attends.

As I’ve said many times at the Board’s public meetings, Concord does NOT offer any more opportunities than Coe-Brown. Mr. Whitmore has also provided the Board with a side-by-side comparison spreadsheet to prove this fact.

Coe-Brown is currently ranked #25 in the state of NH by USNews, whereas Concord is all the way down at #55. These scores are calculated by taking into account test scores, graduation rate, and college readiness.

Coe-Brown is also a lot safer for our kids. My cousin was stabbed at Concord High a few years ago. I have also witnessed a person overdose on the sidewalks next to that school, as well as found syringes & used condoms. Concord High has also shut down a hall way due to the fact that the teachers can’t “control the students’ fighting, profane language, destruction of property, & theft” = News Article Here: https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/concord-high-administrators-attempt-dampen-issues-main-street 


One argument to keep Concord High in contract is that it “introduces our small-town kids to culture, city life & the real world.” I’ve lived in multiple cities. Myself and many other community members moved to Deerfield in order to get away from the city & give our children a better school experience with more opportunities than we had. I attended more than 20 public schools as a child. My schools included: PS128Q (Queens NY), Hill Side (Manchester NH), Londonderry High, Pinkerton Academy, & Pembroke Academy. All schools are NOT created equal! I have worked my butt off to give my kids more than I had. If a community member wants their children to be immersed in different cultures, then take them to the cities for different experiences. Don’t force them to get dumbed down by Concord’s high school.

Another argument is “Concord High has always been our town’s choice. Why did you move here if you knew that?” I moved here in 2014, and had faith this would all be fixed by the time my 2 year old was entering high school. I’ve spoken to community members and a majority say that their realtors insisted the high school situation would be figured out way before now due to the fact that “Deerfield already has land to build our own.” I also know that Jeff Kelley attended Coe-Brown, and many of my acquaintances from Deerfield attended Pembroke Academy when I was there as well as Coe-Brown. Concord was NOT always set in stone. Parents deserve a choice.

Want to decrease the invoices for the high school bus(es)!? Coe-Brown is only 20 minutes from the Deerfield Fairgrounds, whereas Concord High is an hour. Not to mention all the gas money parents will save as well! Some students who are currently forced to attend Concord High need to be out to the bus stop by 6am & don’t get home until after 4pm. Is this not a long day for a teen who also has homework & potentially sports/extracurricular activities as well?

Coe-Brown Northwood Academy offers smaller class sizes, similar course selections, an amazing group of educators, a beautiful campus, incredible sports opportunities AND it’s a lot closer! It’s a no-brainer. Please consider Coe-Brown &/or parental choice for high school attendance. Thank you for your time & consideration.