HOOKSETT — Manchester Superintendent of Schools Thomas Brennan told the Hooksett School Board at a special July meeting that, despite drastic budget cuts, his district is working to ensure it will not violate the contract under which Hooksett students attend Manchester high schools.

“I cannot sit here and guarantee you that there won't be some breaches,” Brennan said. “It's always in our mind that we made a commitment and we'll need to live up to it. We'll do the best we can.”

Brennan said that he and the Manchester administration are still working to determine staffing options, class sizes, course offerings for the upcoming school year, after the aldermen granted the school district “one-time money” that still left its budget at least $8 million below what Brennan would have liked.

Brennan had proposed budgets of $162 million to $164 million, but the approved budget for next year is $152 million.

“We are in dire straits as a school district,” said Brennan, who was accompanied at the meeting by Assistant Superintendent Michael Tursi.

The board, led by Chairman Dana Argo, quizzed Brennan on the status of Manchester's three high schools, two of which — Central High and West High — Hooksett students attend.

Argo asked Brennan if he was aware of any breaches that would occur in the contract between the school districts. One of the contract's stipulations is that standard classes do not exceed 30 students.

Brennan said he would be able to provide the board with more information by August on class sizes and what courses might be cut. He also pledged to keep Hooksett Superintendent Charles Littlefield informed of any major developments in the meantime.

“It's a trying situation for all of us, particularly for you who send students to our district, since you can feel like you're on the outside,” Brennan said. “That's why we reach out.”

Board members were also concerned about the size of classes at the high schools. Brennan said the district plans classes ranging between 25 and 30 students. However, he said those numbers do not look realistic at this time, and classes may end up being larger.

Manchester cannot provide definitive numbers on class sizes until Oct. 1, Tursi said. By his calculations, the past school year saw a shift of 1,000 students among different classes between June and Oct. 1.

Brennan and Tursi committed to return to the Aug. 3 and 17 board meetings with updates.

Board member Trisha Korkosz requested that Brennan also come to the board's Oct. 16 meeting with final numbers on class sizes.

“We have nothing to hide, nor will we conceal anything,” Brennan said after he agreed. “We will provide the facts.”

Later in the meeting, Korkosz said the board should consider a backup plan in case Manchester does breach its contract.

“I feel bad for Manchester that it has the problems it does, but that doesn't have to be our children's future,” she said. “Every student in Hooksett deserves better than that.”

Littlefield said he has been conducting informal conversations with other area high schools, which may be open to accommodating some Hooksett students if the need arises.

“There don't appear to be high schools in the geographical area that would be able to take more than a couple of youngsters,” he said. “We could certainly pursue things more formally at the will of the board.”

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Katie Lannan may be reached at klannan@newstote.com.