Copyright keenesentinel
With back-to-school now well behind us and many months to go before the next school budget, this is a good moment to pause and reflect on the important role our public schools play in the life of our community. The Keene School District — including the Cheshire Career Center — is doing far more than teaching children. It’s fueling Keene’s cultural life, preparing our future workforce and nurturing the civic spirit that binds us together. It’s a public good that benefits everyone who calls Keene home. Keene’s schools don’t just teach reading, writing and math — they nurture thinkers, creators and citizens. Students build critical thinking skills in project-based classrooms where they tackle real-world challenges, from designing sustainable solutions in science labs to presenting civic policy ideas at City Hall. Emotional intelligence and teamwork are developed every day in classrooms and on playing fields, where collaboration and resilience matter as much as winning. Our schools also open doors to the future. The Cheshire Career Center, for example, gives students hands-on experience in health care, engineering and culinary arts — connecting learning to meaningful careers. Dual-enrollment partnerships with local colleges allow students to earn credits before graduation, and robust arts, music and robotics programs spark curiosity and creativity that last a lifetime. Keene’s educators foster character and citizenship too, weaving service learning and community engagement into daily life — from volunteering with local nonprofits to organizing food drives. These experiences prepare students not just for college or careers, but for lives of purpose and contribution. When asked what makes Keene special, some people simply overlook our school system — yet it is the most important daily experience for about 2,600 students and the 1,000 dedicated employees who make education here a remarkable journey. Keene’s public schools are shaping the next generation of thinkers, doers, neighbors and leaders — and that’s something worth celebrating and supporting together. ERIK MURPHY
