Residents want to ‘take back Arundel’ (Printed Nov. 9, 2007)
By Ashley St. Michel
Staff Writer
“I don’t want my third grade daughter being taken out of her community,” Judie Couture said. “Where our children want to go to high school is their independent decision. Not the decision of someone up in Augusta.”
Couture was one of more than 15 people who met in Arundel Thursday, Nov. 1 to discuss the uncertain future of the Arundel School System and to hand out petitions in an effort to delay further development of school consolidation plans. Participants have named themselves, “Take Back Arundel.”
Originally, Arundel was planning to form a Regional School Unit with Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. After presentations from both Saco and Kennebunk, the school board voted to form a unit with Kennebunk and with the five-year consolidation plan, eventually close Mildred L. Day School, according to Couture.
“When I attended the (school board) meetings I could see that the way consolidation is set up,” she said. “At least one of my children will be affected by this.”
Couture is referring to Arundel’s recent decision to partner with Kennebunk to form RSU 57. Currently Arundel students attend the Mildred L. Day School until fifth grade after which they go to Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco. Students are allowed to choose any area high school.
Last Thursday’s meeting was hosted by Arundel resident Angie Leflamme, who said she is very concerned about the future of her community.
“It seems like the (consolidation) law started at the top, instead of working its way up to that point,” Leflamme said. “I think there were plenty of other ways to go about this.”
Take Back Arundel York County Volunteer Coordinator Anna Croy said the group will spend the next few weeks collecting 55,037 signatures for a petition to either get the plan revoked completely or force the Regional Planning Committee (RPC) to set up contingency plans. She said the group has already counted more than 30,000 signatures, but they want more.
“If we bring 100,000 signatures how can the legislature ignore us?” she asked. “We just want the opportunity to put the issue on the ballot so the people in the community can vote.”
According to the Oct. 19, 2007 Maine Municipal Association (MMA) Convention on the RPC process, the regional planning committee must have a contingency plan in place in case one or more of the partnering districts votes “no.” The contingency plans must include that the remaining units, which voted “yes,” come together as an RSU without the school that voted it down. The plan may also include restarting the negotiation process with other neighboring districts or filing for an exemption with the Department of Education (DOE).
The law states if districts don’t form appropriate regional school units (RSU’s) by 2010, penalties will include a 50 percent reduction in minimum subsidy, a 50 percent reduction in system administration funds, less favorable consideration in approval and funding for school construction, loss of eligibility for transition adjustments and the percentage of state subsidy will not increase to the highest level as called for in the four-year “ramp-up” of state funding for education., according to the DOE Web site.
“The more I saw, the more I noticed our school board was leaning toward Kennebunk,” Couture said. “I have no problem with Kennebunk, but Arundel and Kennebunk haven’t always had a good work relationship.”
Currently, about 93 Arundel students attend Thornton Academy High School. Headmaster Carl Stasio said the Arundel students make up 10 percent of their student body enrollment of 1,210. Biddeford High School has 32 Arundel students out of 943, while Old Orchard Beach High School has two out of 282 students.
Couture said the consolidation plans would include moving a significant amount of children into the Kennebunk School System during what she called, “the most influential time in their lives.”
Arundel School Board Chairman Jon Renell said in a phone interview he is, “definitely behind the repeal.”
“It doesn’t make any sense, it doesn’t save anybody money and it threatens small communities,” Renell said. “It isn’t going to work.”
Renell said he couldn’t stand by anything that was, “forced down his throat.”
Couture said she doesn’t want Mildred L. Day School to close.
“We don’t want our children moved out of our community. It’s not because people don’t like Kennebunk, it’s because people want to have a choice.”
Couture said her first choice for the consolidation plans were for Arundel to partner with Saco in RSU 56 since Arundel students already attend Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco.
“I felt that our community has a closer relationship with these other communities,” she said. “Overall in the long run it seemed as if we would be doing better financially and relationship-wise.”
Croy said the group is striving to create a dialogue about the issue.
“I hope it gives voters the voice,” she said. “We don’t want people in Augusta making our decisions for us.”
Couture said she isn’t totally against consolidation plans.
“I think there are things that can come out of this like sharing resources, and I think it can be brought back to the state and can help with education and cost,” she said.
The protection of smaller communities also concerned the group.
Skip Greenlaw, Chairman of the Maine Coalition to Save Schools, said during a phone interview his committee is against the consolidation plans because they are being forced upon schools state-wide. Greenlaw filed for an application for a citizen initiative in order to supply the state with ballots. Greenlaw said more than 150 towns have already signed on to the agreement.
“I think the big issue is local control,” Greenlaw said. “The question is, are smaller communities going to lose control once they form with larger ones – and I think they are.”
“It’s wrong to force small communities to form with larger ones,” Couture said. “We value our small communities and towns. I don’t believe that this law, as it stands, protects small communities. I don’t believe it is in our children’s best interest.”
Couture said although the plan would promote education, it would be at the cost of taxpayers’ money and the division of their communities.
“The legislature needs to understand that people are mad,” she said. “They are going after our children and our money.”
Couture said she hopes the outcome of the petition will result in the repeal of the entire law.
“I know consolidation will stay in some form or fashion,” she said. “I hope that all this work that our communities have done for the past number of months will pay off. I hope that all the petitions will be gathered and the legislature will say, ‘we need to speak to these communities and see what we can do and what we can change.’”
Staff Writer
“I don’t want my third grade daughter being taken out of her community,” Judie Couture said. “Where our children want to go to high school is their independent decision. Not the decision of someone up in Augusta.”
Couture was one of more than 15 people who met in Arundel Thursday, Nov. 1 to discuss the uncertain future of the Arundel School System and to hand out petitions in an effort to delay further development of school consolidation plans. Participants have named themselves, “Take Back Arundel.”
Originally, Arundel was planning to form a Regional School Unit with Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. After presentations from both Saco and Kennebunk, the school board voted to form a unit with Kennebunk and with the five-year consolidation plan, eventually close Mildred L. Day School, according to Couture.
“When I attended the (school board) meetings I could see that the way consolidation is set up,” she said. “At least one of my children will be affected by this.”
Couture is referring to Arundel’s recent decision to partner with Kennebunk to form RSU 57. Currently Arundel students attend the Mildred L. Day School until fifth grade after which they go to Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco. Students are allowed to choose any area high school.
Last Thursday’s meeting was hosted by Arundel resident Angie Leflamme, who said she is very concerned about the future of her community.
“It seems like the (consolidation) law started at the top, instead of working its way up to that point,” Leflamme said. “I think there were plenty of other ways to go about this.”
Take Back Arundel York County Volunteer Coordinator Anna Croy said the group will spend the next few weeks collecting 55,037 signatures for a petition to either get the plan revoked completely or force the Regional Planning Committee (RPC) to set up contingency plans. She said the group has already counted more than 30,000 signatures, but they want more.
“If we bring 100,000 signatures how can the legislature ignore us?” she asked. “We just want the opportunity to put the issue on the ballot so the people in the community can vote.”
According to the Oct. 19, 2007 Maine Municipal Association (MMA) Convention on the RPC process, the regional planning committee must have a contingency plan in place in case one or more of the partnering districts votes “no.” The contingency plans must include that the remaining units, which voted “yes,” come together as an RSU without the school that voted it down. The plan may also include restarting the negotiation process with other neighboring districts or filing for an exemption with the Department of Education (DOE).
The law states if districts don’t form appropriate regional school units (RSU’s) by 2010, penalties will include a 50 percent reduction in minimum subsidy, a 50 percent reduction in system administration funds, less favorable consideration in approval and funding for school construction, loss of eligibility for transition adjustments and the percentage of state subsidy will not increase to the highest level as called for in the four-year “ramp-up” of state funding for education., according to the DOE Web site.
“The more I saw, the more I noticed our school board was leaning toward Kennebunk,” Couture said. “I have no problem with Kennebunk, but Arundel and Kennebunk haven’t always had a good work relationship.”
Currently, about 93 Arundel students attend Thornton Academy High School. Headmaster Carl Stasio said the Arundel students make up 10 percent of their student body enrollment of 1,210. Biddeford High School has 32 Arundel students out of 943, while Old Orchard Beach High School has two out of 282 students.
Couture said the consolidation plans would include moving a significant amount of children into the Kennebunk School System during what she called, “the most influential time in their lives.”
Arundel School Board Chairman Jon Renell said in a phone interview he is, “definitely behind the repeal.”
“It doesn’t make any sense, it doesn’t save anybody money and it threatens small communities,” Renell said. “It isn’t going to work.”
Renell said he couldn’t stand by anything that was, “forced down his throat.”
Couture said she doesn’t want Mildred L. Day School to close.
“We don’t want our children moved out of our community. It’s not because people don’t like Kennebunk, it’s because people want to have a choice.”
Couture said her first choice for the consolidation plans were for Arundel to partner with Saco in RSU 56 since Arundel students already attend Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco.
“I felt that our community has a closer relationship with these other communities,” she said. “Overall in the long run it seemed as if we would be doing better financially and relationship-wise.”
Croy said the group is striving to create a dialogue about the issue.
“I hope it gives voters the voice,” she said. “We don’t want people in Augusta making our decisions for us.”
Couture said she isn’t totally against consolidation plans.
“I think there are things that can come out of this like sharing resources, and I think it can be brought back to the state and can help with education and cost,” she said.
The protection of smaller communities also concerned the group.
Skip Greenlaw, Chairman of the Maine Coalition to Save Schools, said during a phone interview his committee is against the consolidation plans because they are being forced upon schools state-wide. Greenlaw filed for an application for a citizen initiative in order to supply the state with ballots. Greenlaw said more than 150 towns have already signed on to the agreement.
“I think the big issue is local control,” Greenlaw said. “The question is, are smaller communities going to lose control once they form with larger ones – and I think they are.”
“It’s wrong to force small communities to form with larger ones,” Couture said. “We value our small communities and towns. I don’t believe that this law, as it stands, protects small communities. I don’t believe it is in our children’s best interest.”
Couture said although the plan would promote education, it would be at the cost of taxpayers’ money and the division of their communities.
“The legislature needs to understand that people are mad,” she said. “They are going after our children and our money.”
Couture said she hopes the outcome of the petition will result in the repeal of the entire law.
“I know consolidation will stay in some form or fashion,” she said. “I hope that all this work that our communities have done for the past number of months will pay off. I hope that all the petitions will be gathered and the legislature will say, ‘we need to speak to these communities and see what we can do and what we can change.’”
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