[Schoolconsolidation] Update from Monday Night's Meeting

[Michael Richards]

I couldn't make the meeting last night but Ms. Duguay did and sent a copy of
her notes to me and I thought I would share them with you.  Wednesday is the
next regularly scheduled board meeting.

Michael

Special Board Meeting – Monday, July 9, 2007



(From the agenda) The purpose of the meeting is for the Board and the
Superintendent to review with the community the recent discussions regarding
consolidation with school districts that currently provide education
opportunities for our students.   This is an informational meeting to update
the Board and for the Board to consider potential regional partnerships.



   - Board has met with Kennebunk, Biddeford, and Saco several times.
   - We must apply for a reorganization plan and not an alternate plan
   - SAD 71 has sent a letter to Arundel inviting them to a
   reorganization plan meeting
   - Rather than making the community making the plan the Board has to
   make a plan and then submit it then go to the community causing them to make
   two regional plans
   - Commissioner was asked to run the numbers to find out what the costs
   would be for any partnership.   They only want to do it with 2007-2008
   figures and they are not ready to do that.   They won't have that
   information until the middle of August and the decision must be made earlier

   - Kennebunk said that we can participate and not be an official member
   just an observer
   - If we go in officially we can pull out at any time
   - We can partner during the meetings with both Saco and Kennebunk,
   causing double the work, and then pull out of one-the public agreed with
   that idea
   - The state still has not settled on a funding formula
   - If they run the cost per child we will pay much more for education
   than now
   - The commissioner will probably go along with the plan of our choice
   as long as all our ducks are in a row
   - Wells and Ogunquit have been in a battle over their funding formula
   - Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are also in a battle over their funding
   formula
   - It doesn't matter what our decision is we will be spending more
   money
   - One major issue last night was finding a way to notify the public of
   these meetings, not enough people feel that the public is informed
   - The major discussion was to find other reasons besides cost to make
   the decision on which school system to join
   - A lot of discussion was about "these other reasons" which should
   influence our choice
   - Issues to be considered – traveling time, cost, number of students
   per class, education philosophy, curriculum, staff development, and
   enrichment
   - The two people chosen at the Selectman's meeting to be on the
   committee were Dana Peck representing the Selectmen and Jack Reetz
   representing the public
   - Three Board members were needed to be on the committee – Jason
   Nadeau, Pam Wuerthner, and John Renell
   - Future meetings for the committee is July 10, 2007
   - There is a meeting in Augusta on July 25, but the cost is too much
   - The people at the meeting stressed the fact that they wanted the
   Board to remain neutral – and the Board assured them that the final decision
   would be made by the town
   - They set up another informational meeting for Tuesday, July 24, at
   7:oo – it is another public informational meeting



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Mildred L. Day School
Arundel, Maine
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