Claremont School Board Secures Funding for Sports Programs

District identifies $850,000 in savings to support athletics and other initiatives

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Claremont School Board in New Hampshire has announced that sports programs will be funded for the upcoming school year, thanks to the identification of $850,000 in potential budget savings. The board reviewed the budget and found duplicate entries, withdrawn requests, and program reconfiguration that allowed them to free up funds for athletics without needing to cut other areas.

Why it matters

The decision to fund sports programs is significant for the Claremont community, as athletics play an important role in the educational experience for students. With tight school budgets, the ability to identify savings and reallocate funds to support extracurricular activities is crucial for maintaining a well-rounded education.

The details

At a recent school board meeting, member Candace Crawford presented findings on funding for athletics across the district. The board had initially allocated just $1 for sports in the proposed 2026-2027 budget, but after reviewing the budget, they were able to identify approximately $850,000 in potential savings. This included $250,000 from duplicate budget entries, $450,000 from a withdrawn request for additional teachers at Stevens High School, and $150,000 from the reconfiguration of some support programs. While the board is not obligated to spend the full $850,000 on athletics, they have committed to funding the sports programs for the upcoming year.

  • The Claremont School Board meeting where the funding decision was made was held on February 4, 2026.
  • The school board's next regular meeting is scheduled for February 18, 2026.

The players

Candace Crawford

A member of the Claremont School Board who presented the findings on funding for athletics.

Michael Petrin

The vice chair of the Claremont School Board, who commented that it was time to stop "rubber stamping" programs without reviewing cost and benefit each year.

Kerry Kennedy

The interim superintendent of the Claremont School District, who announced that the Annual Report will be ready ahead of the March 10 voting day.

Matt Angell

The senior comptroller for the Claremont School District, who addressed concerns from teachers about the district's cash balances.

Hope Damon

A New Hampshire State Representative who updated the school board on House Bill 1399, which seeks a $5 million appropriation for the Claremont School District.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I would encourage anybody who wants to see this money come to Claremont to not only contact your local state reps, of which you have five, [but] much sooner, if you go online to 'Gen Court N.H.,' the website for the house, [you] can go to the finance committee and get the names of the individuals involved.”

— Hope Damon, New Hampshire State Representative (vermontjournal.com)

“I want to make sure teachers understand that our cash balances are fine. When I talk about loans, the loan is the revolving line of credit…[and] right now we are not borrowing against it.”

— Matt Angell, Senior Comptroller (vermontjournal.com)

“At our last meeting, the school board set the 2026-2027 proposed budget at $42,957,714. In that budget, the allocated funds for athletics were $1. The administration was tasked with finding changes in line items that could be made to free up funds for athletics.”

— Candace Crawford, School Board Member (vermontjournal.com)

What’s next

The Claremont School Board will continue to monitor the progress of House Bill 1399, which seeks additional funding for the district. The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for February 18, 2026, where they may provide further updates on the budget and funding for sports programs.

The takeaway

The Claremont School Board's decision to identify and reallocate funds to support sports programs demonstrates their commitment to providing a well-rounded education for students, even in the face of tight budgets. This proactive approach to finding savings and prioritizing extracurricular activities sets a positive example for other school districts facing similar challenges.