To the editor:

(A version of this letter was recently sent to the RSU 21 School Board last week)

I would like to thank all of you for the time, the effort and concern for the education of our children that all of you have invested by being on this board. I, like many others, watch televised board meetings as often as time allows. I have one remaining student attending Kennebunk High School and our family will be beyond the local school system in two short years. I still feel I have a responsibility to voice my opinion to ensure kindergarteners of today have the same opportunities my children had in district schools.

These are difficult times for certain. I hear that comment being made from virtually every board member. I can appreciate the tough decisions you must make.

At the last meeting I had the opportunity to watch a suggestion that it would be helpful to know what savings might be realized by closing Arundel’s Mildred L. Day and Kennebunkport Consolidated schools.

What I heard was only a request for information and not a call to close down the schools. I strongly believe having this information is vital to making the right choices for our children. Both my children attended Consolidated and it was tired and outdated then. I can only imagine costs to the district of keeping these buildings functioning will only increase in years ahead.

If I had four automobiles in my driveway, and two were brand new with all the latest updates and safety features and the two others were in need of repair, would I continue to pay the excise tax, insurance and registration each year just because they were the first cars my family rode in? No.

I would welcome the opportunity to provide my family with a safe, quality method of transportation.

As a child I attended Cousens School, Park Street, the junior high school and Kennebunk High School. I certainly understood the reasoning behind closing Cousens. I didn’t let my emotions or my memories keep me from accepting and embracing the changes closing these schools offered. I disagree with the comment that buildings are the “heart of the community.”

Quality teachers and important programs are. Cutting them hurts each of us in one form or another.

I am not ready to vote on closing any school in the district at this time, but I want the information on the cost or savings to the district. We already know what the cost of eliminating important programs and valuable staff is going to do to the quality of education to our children. All of you have repeated that cry at every meeting I’ve watched.

So let us study all the information available and let us all make smart choices based on what is best for the education of our children.

Timothy Ames

Kennebunkport