Thornton Academy thanks all Arundel parents and students who have shown such strong, unending support of our school. TA’s relationship with Arundel has evolved over the years in a positive and productive manner.

We currently enroll all Arundel middle school students via a contract, now entering its fifth year, and 162 high school students who come to us with choice vouchers. We are pleased to announce that 95 percent of Arundel eighth-grade students will attend Thornton Academy as freshmen in fall 2010.

We believe the recent decision by the RSU 21 School Board that proposes to enroll 15 Arundel students per grade at the Kennebunk Middle School is not only a breach in our contract, but also violates the state consolidation law.

 It was clear to all present at the negotiation table six years ago that Thornton Academy would educate “all” Arundel students in grades six through eight, and there was no question about the meaning of “all.”

It is not clear what all the details are, but we know Arundel was not invited to be part of the planning process for Middle School of the Kennebunks, and subsequently, Arundel middle school students were not allowed to attend the school when it opened. 

When it was evident that Mildred L. Day School could no longer comfortably serve middle school students in Arundel, TA engaged in substantive discussions to look at the possibility of educating those students on our campus. Arundel voters approved by a 2-to-1 majority a referendum to have the Arundel School Committee negotiate a contract with TA, rather than build a middle school.

We responded to Arundel parents, school leaders and the community, and the result of those discussions became what is now Thornton Academy Middle School.

No matter the result of the dispute, Thornton Academy will stay open for as long as you continue to send us your students. You will always have choice.

Carl Stasio

Thornton Academy headmaster

To the editor:

The RSU 21 school board decision to terminate the contract with Thornton Academy did not come as a surprise to me. It was always quite clear during the long consolidation process it would happen. What was a surprise is it took less than one year for this to happen. Even more surprising was that Arundel’s representatives voted to go along with this ill-advised plan. You have failed to follow the will of the majority of the people who put you in those trusted position. Instead you have voted with your own feelings in total disregard for the consequence of these actions.

This will be a costly experiment, the district will be sued and lose. I negotiated the contract with Thornton Academy and “all” students did mean “all” to me.

The projected savings only work if students attend Kennebunk schools. It should be clear to you that 78 percent are extremely satisfied with Thornton Academy Middle School in your own survey and 47 of 51 eighth-grade students chose Thornton Academy for high school. It’s time to take your personal feelings out of your decision-making if you are to represent the people. I would doubt that the legal consultation you had prior to your vote said there was no risk in allowing students to go to Middle School of the Kennebunks and in no way violated the contract. State consolidation law stated all contracts will be honored. How does this honor our contractual obligation to Thornton Academy? It was Thornton Academy that stepped up to help Arundel get into compliance with state rules. Kennebunk wouldn’t even enter into discussion with Arundel back then but since has built two oversized schools for their declining enrollment. Suddenly they want us.

Arundel should opt out of the RSU and take control back.

David Lane

Arundel

To the editor:

Let me get this straight, the RSU 21 board voted June 21 to buyout the Thornton Academy Middle School contract in the 2011-2012 school year, correct? So you recognize then, that there is a contract in place that legally must be bought out in order for Arundel students to go to middle school anywhere other than Thornton Academy Middle School, correct? Otherwise you would not have voted to approve the $1.2 million to buy it out next year.

So then, my question is, how does the other vote to allow “choice” for up to 15 students from Arundel per grade for this fall not come in direct violation of the contract that you clearly acknowledge is in place? If you’re not going to buy it out this year, why are you going to do so next year? Where is your integrity?

The lack of consideration our board members have for the majority of parents in Arundel who have time and time again told you that we are happy with Thornton Academy and that we want the contract to remain intact is frustrating. The survey you sent out did not yield the results you were hoping for, so you have chosen to simply disregard it – along with the many voices you have heard at meetings and through e-mails and letters over the course of the last year or so.

Offering “choice” while circumventing the contract is not only illegal, it is immoral. Thornton Academy built its middle school for Arundel’s students when nobody else – most notably Kennebunk and Kennebunkport – wanted them. 

RSU 21 still doesn’t want them, make no mistake about it. They want the tuition dollars, but the deep cultural bias against Arundel students that has been pervasive in Kennebunk still exists. 

I suggest that the board work on that issue, along with the mold problems at Middle School of the Kennebunks before forcing Arundel into a school where we don’t want to be.

I object to the board that represents me, taking tuition dollars out of Thornton Academy, the school my child is legally bound and very, very happy to attend.

Donna and Jim Buttarazzi

Arundel