GOFFSTOWN — Mountain View Middle School students said they were reprimanded by Principal Jim Hunt for attempting to start an informal spirit week.

According to seventh-graders Nathan Wooding and Kayley Noterman, students had planned to hold different “theme days” during the last 10 days of school, where students would all dress similarly.

Themes included sports day, backwards day and oversized day.

On June 6, Hunt sent a letter home to parents that read, in part, “closing out the year and meeting academic grade-level exit outcomes remains our primary focus,” and asked parents to review the memo with their students.

Hunt said the school did not schedule the “rumored 10 spirit days.”

He said the school provides a variety of activities for students, including dances, field trips, concerts and assemblies in the last days of school.

Hunt has been the subject of recent criticism by some parents. The school board recently decided to put off until the fall its decision about hiring a consultant to study the middle school and recommend improvements.

In a letter to the Goffstown News, Wooding agreed that these activities are offered, “but they make it sound like school is packed to the brim with the maximum amount of activities.” Wooding said the only activity he was aware of in the last 10 days of school is step-up day.

Noterman was disappointed in the decision not to hold the spirit week activities.

“I’m kind of upset that he took it away from us,” she said. “I was kind of proud of my school for putting it together and I didn’t see anything wrong with it — we weren’t interfering with learning.”

Kayley’s mother, Karyn, said she told her daughter it was OK for people to agree to disagree, but suggested Kayley get in touch with Hunt about his decision if she was upset.

According to Karyn, Kayley wrote a polite letter to Hunt that was signed by about 40 other students.

Nearly a week later, Karyn said, there was no response from Hunt, so she left a voice mail for him, asking him to follow up with Kayley.

Karyn said Hunt called Kayley, Wooding and several other students into his office to reprimand them for their actions, calling Kayley’s letter a “petition,” and telling Wooding that he didn’t appreciate being “trash-talked” to the local newspaper.

“I was just flabbergasted,” Karyn said.

Karyn described Kayley as a “really good kid,” who is on the Principal Honor Roll and a member of the school chorus.

“Even if he wasn’t going to change his mind, I thought he’d be proud that they stood up for what they believed in,” she said.

Karyn said Hunt should never have reprimanded a single student in front of a group.

“I have nothing, nothing, nothing good to say about Mr. Hunt,” she said.

Hunt did not return a call for comment.

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Kathy Remillard may be reached at kremillard@newstote.com.