Arundel and MSAD 71; What’s next? (Printed Nov. 2, 2007)
By Stowell P. Watters
Staff Writer
The decision has been made; Arundel will continue consolidation work with MSAD 71 as opposed to exploring options with Saco schools.
“We chose to go with the Kennebunks for a few reasons,” said Arundel Superintendent Alton Hadley, who had no say during the school board talks, but acted as a facilitator. “MSAD 71 is a smart choice for us because Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are physically closer to our kids than Saco. Also we are impressed by their strong educational stature.”
The task now falls upon Maureen King of Kennebunkport and Dana Peck of Arundel, the two co-chairs on the Regional School Unit 57’s Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) and their 15-member board to come up with a 13 point comprehensive plan to be submitted to the state by Dec. 1, 2007. This plan, said Hadley, will be hard to complete in time, considering the many complex facets of the consolidation.
“We have a nine-year contract with Thornton Academy, they get all of our sixth graders, whether that contract is going to be up for negotiation I dao not know,” Hadley said. “What I do know is there is a very strong sense in our community that Mildred Day School should stay open, no one wants to lose their school.”
King also discounted the likelihood of meeting the deadline.
“There is no way we will have this in on time in the format required by the state, our hope is to compile every piece of information possible and present it to the Department of Education,” King said during an Oct. 29 phone interview.
During their last meeting the RPC formed a series of four sub-committees: finance, facilities, governance and contracts. King’s hope is that this method of organization will help make sense of the myriad information the RPC must digest.
“There is so much, we just want to make sure everyone is clear on the facts, that in itself seems to be a difficult task,” she said. “Currently we are trying to develop a philosophy; a mission statement and subsequent goals so we can move forward.”
“The way the law reads is this current RPC board will be dissolved and a new board will be formed, should the proposed contract pass in a referendum,” said Superintendent of MSAD 71 Tom Farrell.
Once the RPC submits their information to the state it is then up to the towns involved to vote upon the actual merger. If the voters decide to go against the submitted plans, there will be substantial penalties passed down from the state.
According to Maine’s Department of Education, the penalties include a 50 percent reduction in minimum subsidy to all towns involved, a further 50 percent reduction in administration funds, less favorable consideration in approval and funding for school construction and loss of eligibility for transition adjustments.
Additionally the percentage of state subsidy for a unit that votes against reorganization will not increase to the highest level as called for in the state’s four-year ramp-up of state funding for education. The not-so-hidden result of this is units who do not consolidate will be subject to an “incrementally higher local contribution (mil rate) than those who do reorganize,” according to the Maine Department of Education.
That is, as King puts it, down the line. For now, the RPC needs information from the schools, and input from the community.
“We are gathering. The more we know the better as we move on,” she said.
The RPC meets every Tuesday in hopes of providing the best contract they can by Dec. 1. To attend a meeting check the Kennebunkport calendar online at www.town.kennebunkport.me.us or call their town clerk at 967-4243.
Staff Writer
The decision has been made; Arundel will continue consolidation work with MSAD 71 as opposed to exploring options with Saco schools.
“We chose to go with the Kennebunks for a few reasons,” said Arundel Superintendent Alton Hadley, who had no say during the school board talks, but acted as a facilitator. “MSAD 71 is a smart choice for us because Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are physically closer to our kids than Saco. Also we are impressed by their strong educational stature.”
The task now falls upon Maureen King of Kennebunkport and Dana Peck of Arundel, the two co-chairs on the Regional School Unit 57’s Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) and their 15-member board to come up with a 13 point comprehensive plan to be submitted to the state by Dec. 1, 2007. This plan, said Hadley, will be hard to complete in time, considering the many complex facets of the consolidation.
“We have a nine-year contract with Thornton Academy, they get all of our sixth graders, whether that contract is going to be up for negotiation I dao not know,” Hadley said. “What I do know is there is a very strong sense in our community that Mildred Day School should stay open, no one wants to lose their school.”
King also discounted the likelihood of meeting the deadline.
“There is no way we will have this in on time in the format required by the state, our hope is to compile every piece of information possible and present it to the Department of Education,” King said during an Oct. 29 phone interview.
During their last meeting the RPC formed a series of four sub-committees: finance, facilities, governance and contracts. King’s hope is that this method of organization will help make sense of the myriad information the RPC must digest.
“There is so much, we just want to make sure everyone is clear on the facts, that in itself seems to be a difficult task,” she said. “Currently we are trying to develop a philosophy; a mission statement and subsequent goals so we can move forward.”
“The way the law reads is this current RPC board will be dissolved and a new board will be formed, should the proposed contract pass in a referendum,” said Superintendent of MSAD 71 Tom Farrell.
Once the RPC submits their information to the state it is then up to the towns involved to vote upon the actual merger. If the voters decide to go against the submitted plans, there will be substantial penalties passed down from the state.
According to Maine’s Department of Education, the penalties include a 50 percent reduction in minimum subsidy to all towns involved, a further 50 percent reduction in administration funds, less favorable consideration in approval and funding for school construction and loss of eligibility for transition adjustments.
Additionally the percentage of state subsidy for a unit that votes against reorganization will not increase to the highest level as called for in the state’s four-year ramp-up of state funding for education. The not-so-hidden result of this is units who do not consolidate will be subject to an “incrementally higher local contribution (mil rate) than those who do reorganize,” according to the Maine Department of Education.
That is, as King puts it, down the line. For now, the RPC needs information from the schools, and input from the community.
“We are gathering. The more we know the better as we move on,” she said.
The RPC meets every Tuesday in hopes of providing the best contract they can by Dec. 1. To attend a meeting check the Kennebunkport calendar online at www.town.kennebunkport.me.us or call their town clerk at 967-4243.
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