September 2025

The Monthly Hilltopper News & Happenings

City of Somersworth

City Hall

One Government Way

Somersworth, NH 03878

City Hall Hours

Monday - Friday

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Boards & Committee Meetings this Month

City Council Meeting

Tuesday, September 2 at 7:00 pm

Monday, September 15 at 7:00 pm

Site Review Technical Committee

Wednesday, September 3 at 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Conservation Commission

Wednesday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment

Wednesday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Planning Board

Wednesday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m.

Historic District Commission

Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m.

The Mayor's Corner

With September upon us, I, along with the faculty and staff of the Somersworth School District, the Somersworth School Board, and Superintendent John Shea would like to enthusiastically welcome back all of our students and families to the 2025-2026 school year. We hope everyone has had a relaxing summer, and makes sure to enjoys the last days of summer and has a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

A reminder to all that the first day of the new school year (for kindergarten through grade nine) is on Tuesday, September 2. Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students start on Wednesday, September 3. Pre-K students start on Thursday, September 4 and on Friday, September 5.

Please see the included back-to-school information and school calendar to make sure you are ready for the new year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your student's school!

Best,

Mayor Matt Gerding

Welcome Back!

Message from the Superintendent

The first day of the new school year (kindergarten through grade nine) is on Tuesday, September 2. Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students start on Wednesday, September 3. Pre-K students start on Thursday, September 4 and on Friday, September 5.

The faculty and staff of the entire district enthusiastically welcome back all of our students and families. We hope everyone enjoys the last days of summer and has wonderful Labor day Weekend.

Central Office Leadership Team

Superintendent: John Shea

Assistant Superintendent: Kat Crosby

Business Administrator: Katie Krauss

Bus Routes

Bus routes have been posted for the FY 2025- 2026 school year. Please visit the SAU 56 website at the following like to find your stop.

If you have any questions please contact:

First Student: Lisa Smith 603- 692-4406

Sau 56 Business Administrator: Katie Krauss 603 692 4450 kkrauss@sau56.org

Bus Routes

Food Service Information

Applying for Free and Reduced Meals

Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals under USDA National School Lunch Program. If your household qualifies for reduced-priced meals, Breakfast would be at no cost and lunch would be priced at $0.40.

Completing an application takes less than 10 minutes and application information remains private and confidential.

Applying can be done by filling out a paper application or online at mymealtime.com. Only one application per household is needed. Information regarding applying including the paper application has been mailed to each student. Information is also available on our website at the following link:

Link

If you have any questions, please contact Toshia Devaney at tdevaney@sau56.org or 603-692-4450.

Somersworth School District

City Clerk

Further information on filing a Declaration of Candidacy may be obtained from the Office of the City Clerk at 603-692-9511 or 603-692-9512.

Department of Public Works

Councilor Goodwin recently demonstrated the new pedestrian crosswalk signal on High Street, showing how the updated system makes crossing one of Somersworth's busiest streets safer and more convenient. The project reflects the City's ongoing commitment to improving walkability and ensuring that residents of all ages can navigate our streets with confidence.

Photo Credit: Councilor Witham

Somersworth Police Department

We want to thank all our Vendors, Volunteers, Special Guests, Performers, and everyone

who came out and joined us for another successful year at our National Night Out event.

It was a great time, and we are already making plans for next year!!

School Resource Officer Tully and Detective Fuller worked hard setting up for the event!

Officers Pearsall, Glidden, and MacDougall are joined by our City Manager David Moore in a quick picture with some of the fabulous attendees of the event.

Officer Gibson and Parking Enforcement Officer Kinneavy display the souvenirs the Somersworth Police Department were giving away.

Emergency Management Director Justin Bellen from the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office demonstrates Drone equipment which can be used for finding missing people, vehicles, capturing overviews of large areas, and other various emergency situations.

1991 Ford Crown Victoria from

the Chelsea Police Department

Officer Cantin, Sgt. Lutz, and Fire Marshall Lutz are enjoying the show of cars. Even casting a vote or two for their favorites!

Lots of food, T-shirts, Patches, and Hats

Thank you!

Somersworth Police Department would like to extend a big thanks to the Department of Public Works for their incredible work on the landscape cleanup around the police department building. It looks amazing and we are very grateful for their work.

School Safety Social Media Reminders

As a new school year starts, it’s exciting to capture the first day with a picture and some fun facts. Here are some social media tips to help keep your student safe:

1. Don’t share your child’s SCHOOL name. All schools now have websites that include addresses, all it would take is a simple Google search to locate your child’s school.

2. Don’t share their TEACHER’S name. Staff and employees are included in most school directories making your child easy to find.

3. Don’t share their FAVORITE’S. If your child is contacted online, the predator can use their “favorites” to gain their trust or pretend to be friends of the family.

4. Make sure to hide LOGOS of the school or location. These can be easily blurred on today’s smart phones. making sure that location information is turned off is important or if taking a photograph of a child on the first day of school make sure your not sharing the location of a residence and that the background of the photograph is blurred although taking those adorable photos Infront of your residence or by a child's bus stop can be great for family members. Utilizing those locations on social media can assist predators in making your child easily located

Hunting Season Reminder

Hunting Season will be starting soon. Please remember our Furry friends, and keep them protected. Here are a few tips to help

Put reflective or brightly colored grear on your pet
Keep your pet on leash at all times, and ensure they have an ID tag on them
Stay on designated trails
Avoid peak times that hunting takes place ( generally, first thing in the morning, and late afternoons)
Learn the hunting schedule season so you are aware of the type of hunting currently taking place, and what areas to avoid

We send out Nixle Alerts for parking bans and other important information to cell phones and emails. You can sign up for free Nixle at www.Nixle.com.

Somersworth Police Facebook Page

Check out Somersworth Police Department’s Facebook page. We use it to let you know about important community information including crime information, road closures, snow emergencies/ parking bans, and community events. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/SomersworthPoliceDepartment/

Somersworth Crime Line: You can leave crime tips or anonymous information at 603-692-9111

Somersworth Fire Department

Recreational Office Programs

Hilltopper 50+ Walking Program:

This program is open to all 50+ residents and takes place each Thursday at 10a.m. from September 9^th through October 16th. It's is a great opportunity to get some exercise, meet some new people and enjoy the beauty of Fall in our downtown and two of our beautiful parks. Registration is required simply click the link below to register:

https://www.somersworthnh.gov/parks-recreation

Tiny Toppers Fall Play Program:

If you have a toddler aged between 2 and 4 this program is for you! Every Wednesday from 9.45 -10.30a.m. at the Pines Playground throughout the month of September join us for some outdoor play. Please note: adult participation is required as well as registration. You can discover more by clicking on the link below:

https://www.somersworthnh.gov/parks-recreation

For more information about any of the Recreation Department Programs please call (603) 692-9507 or (603) 692-9508.

What's Happening at the Library

Here at the library, we’re turning the page to fall with engaging community programs, a brand-new lineup of children's programs, and of course, a fresh season of great reads waiting to be discovered. Stop by and see what’s next—your next favorite book or event might be just around the corner!

📚 Join the Fun – Friends of the Library Meeting! 🎉

Tuesday, September 9th at 6:45 PM

Come be a part of something exciting! The Friends of the Library are celebrating one year of making a difference — raising more than $2,200 to support library programs and events since August 2024. Whether you're a seasoned supporter or just curious about how you can get involved, NOW is the perfect time to join the fun!

We’re looking to fill a few officer roles and always welcome new members who want to volunteer — whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you. With Halloween Hoopla (the library's biggest event of the year!) right around the corner in October, a November book sale, and our annual winter fundraiser on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to get involved.

Come see what we’re all about — laughter, creativity, and community impact guaranteed! ✨

If you would like to be added to the Friends' mailing list, please complete this short form

Think your team can beat the clock (and your neighbors) at a jigsaw puzzle challenge?

Join us for a fun and fast-paced puzzle competition! Each team will be given the same 500-piece puzzle—provided by the library—and will have 90 minutes to complete it. The first team to finish, or the one with the most pieces completed when time runs out, wins!

🔹 Teams of up to four people (or register solo and we'll place you on a team!)

🔹 Only one person needs to register per team

🔹 Spots are limited—register early!

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up now!

Touch base with Home Education Advocate Amanda Weedon of Granite State Home Educators for helpful tips and encouragement on your homeschooling journey this fall! Topics touched on include:

• Getting started with home education

• Opportunities for co-ops

• Curriculum requirements

• Scheduling strategies

• Options for year-end assessments

• Equal Access and New Hampshire law requirements

Learn how YOU can become part of the election process in the City of Somersworth. Join the Somersworth City Clerks as they share the duties of election officials and the importance of citizen engagement.

Join us for a book talk on Murder Mayhem: True Crime in New Hampshire, 1883-1915 by author & genealogist Milli Knudsen! Born and raised in Maine, Milli has worked both with the NH State Archives and NH Cold Case Unit.

Have craft supplies you no longer need? Looking to try a new project? Stop by and join us for a craft swap! We encourage community members to stop by with their new or gently used art supplies to swap with others. Don’t have supplies to swap? That’s okay! Stop by and pick up a few materials to try out.

Suggested materials to swap include:

Yarns & Fabrics
Knitting Needles & Crochet Hooks
Scrapbooking Supplies
Stamps & Ink
Markers & Colored Pencils
Beads & Jewelry Supplies
Canvases

Pompoms, Pipe Cleaners, Popsicle Sticks, etc.

The library offers book groups that meet regularly. All community members are welcome to join. For more details about these groups, please visit our website. ↓

The Dover-Somersworth NH Meaningful Conversations group will meet on Saturdays, September 6, 13, 20, & 27. Individuals of all ages and backgrounds are welcome! No registration is required. Learn more about this group on their website!

NH Navigator, a grant-funded non-profit initiative of the Foundation for Healthy Communities, will be on-site at the library on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 9am - 12pm. Their mission is to support and assist NH residents with learning about, applying for and enrolling in publicly available health coverage options like state Medicaid programs and the health insurance marketplace. No appointment is needed - stop by to have your health coverage questions answered!

New Teen Test Kitchen

Ready to level up your snack game? Join us after school to learn how to whip up tasty recipes using just a microwave and toaster oven! Each month features a new recipe to try—no experience needed, just bring your appetite (and a friend or two!).

Staff Picks

Interested in what our team is currently reading? Take a look at our staff picks listed below!

You'll find a mix of new and older titles, all staff tested and approved! ↓

Children's Programs

Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 3

Is your child obsessed with all things Pokémon? If so, don’t miss out on Eevee's Card Battles, our popular Pokémon Club! Bring your best Pokémon cards to battle other players and see who comes out on top! Newcomers will be taught the basics of how to play. This group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5pm.

Parents, are you looking for fun and enriching activities for your young children this fall? We've got a variety of FREE programs to choose from—no registration required! Recommended ages are listed below, but siblings are always welcome. Choose from:

Tiny Tales • Tuesdays at 10:30am

Big fun for little readers! Enjoy an engaging storytime with Tanya, followed by a hands-on enrichment activity. Recommended for ages 3-5.

Imagination Lab • Wednesdays at 10:30am

Explore, create, and play! Imagination Lab is a hands-on program led by the creative Ms. Jo Jo, featuring a mix of art, STEM, and sensory play designed to spark curiosity and learning in young minds. Best for ages 2-5.

Baby Buddies • Thursdays at 10:30am

This informal playgroup is designed for babies under 2 and their caregivers. Meet in our Children's Room for relaxed playtime with age-appropriate toys that support early development.

Shake, Rattle, & Roll • Fridays at 10:30am

Toddlers, get ready to move, groove, and giggle with Ms. Jo Jo! This music and movement program features singing, dancing, rhythm games, and tons of fun, all designed to support early learning and motor skills.

Weekend Builders • Saturdays at 10:30am

Drop in and build something awesome! Weekend Builders is an informal, all-ages program where kids can unleash their creativity using LEGOs, Magna-Tiles, and other fun building toys.

Coming this October: Kids CREW

Create • Read • Explore • Work Together

Come be part of Kids CREW, led by the amazing Ms. Tanya, where imagination and teamwork come to life. Every session is a new adventure!

What to Expect:

• Hands-on crafts

• Creative group projects

• New friends and fun teamwork

• A new theme each session!

Did you know we have discounted museum passes available for our patrons? You can reserve the passes ahead of time so that you're well prepared for your excursion. Current available passes include:

SEE Science Center
New England Aquarium
Bedrock Gardens
Children's Museum of NH
Seacoast Science Center
NH State Parks
Strawbery Banke

Access to Libby, a free app where you can enjoy e-books, digital audiobooks, and magazines using your Library card
Access to Hoopla, a free media streaming platform for audiobooks, comics, e-books, movies, music, and TV
Access to ABCMouse, a digital education program for children ages 2–8, which can be used on any computer within the Library
Laptops for in-Library use
4 iPads available for checkout by any Somersworth Public Library patron
Wii gaming system, which is always available for use in our Young Adult section
Seed Library and Plant Propagation station, giving patrons access to a living Library of items at no cost