ARUNDEL — Thornton Academy Middle School will remain open indefinitely, Thornton Academy Headmaster Carl Stasio announced Wednesday night to a large crowd of Arundel parents.
“We’re going to keep the school open, regardless,” Stasio announced to the crowd, to applause. “We will keep it open for as long as we can possibly sustain a high quality education for your kids.”
Stasio called the meeting to address parents’ concerns about possible termination of Arundel’s contract with the school. The 10-year contract is under review by the Regional School Unit 21 of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel. Currently, 163 students attend TAMS, with 145 of those coming from Arundel.
“If RSU 21 terminates the contract, it will be a very hard decision for them, but you parents will essentially have the same relationship with us,” he said. “You will have access to our school.”
Some RSU 21 board members advocate a $1.4 million buyout of the contract this year, which is estimated to save a total of $4.7 million if all Arundel students attend Middle School of the Kennebunks instead.
However, lawyers for Thornton, RSU 21 and the Department of Education have all agreed that a state statute concerning school consolidation would allow Arundel students to continue to choose TAMS for their children, in perpetuity, even if the contract is terminated. In that scenario, students would also be able to choose to attend MSK and the savings would be unclear.
Stasio said the Thornton Academy board of trustees decided at their meeting Tuesday to maintain the middle school regardless of the decision on the contract, allaying some parents’ fears that the end of the contract would mean the end of the school.
“I’m very excited,” said Susan Sinnott, of Arundel, following the meeting. “A buyout will not be beneficial if there is so much support to staying. I keep encouraging families to voice their opinion that they want to stay here (at TAMS).”
Stasio said that Thornton Academy is “committed to the middle school,” adding, “We hope we’ve earned your trust and you’re going to send your kids here.”
Several parents spoke out to confirm just that.
“I want to send a message to the RSU that I certainly intend to have my kids attend TA no matter what,” said one Arundel father. “Why would we change something like that when it’s worked out so well?”
“That school embraced our community, our students,” said parent Judy Couture. “It’s like a family ”“ they’ve been wonderful to our kids.”
Most of the discussion was in support of continuing to send Arundel students to TAMS and some parents expressed anger at the state’s consolidation mandate. However, others cautioned that staying in the contract would mean higher taxes.
“The $1.4 million (buyout) is also our tax dollars,” countered Jon Renell, a former Arundel School Board member and outspoken opponent of consolidation.
RSU 21 board member Pamela Richard-Wuerthner, one of the Arundel representatives who attended, noted that Arundel parents will be receiving a survey soon to gauge their opinion and their interest in continuing to send students to TAMS.
Though Stasio did say that the more students the school has, the more programs can be offered, he said that the school is not concerned with meeting a minimum amount of students. TAMS is “going to stay open, period,” he said, and would actively recruit tuition students if necessary.
“We will provide services if the contract remains, and if it is broken, we will provide services to as many kids as remain,” said Stasio.
He explained that the middle school was created in 2006 in response to space constraints at Mildred L. Day Elementary School in Arundel, which previously housed grades K-8. Thornton Academy was concerned that Arundel students might be sent to attend the newly-built middle schools in Kennebunk or Biddeford, which would lead to fewer students choosing Thornton Academy for high school, he said.
“We don’t think year to year at TA, we like to think long range,” said Stasio.
All of this was before the state mandated school consolidation that led to Arundel joining with the Kennebunks’ former School Administrative District 71. This is the first school year of the RSU.
Now, if RSU 21 decides to terminate the contract and Arundel students have their choice of either MSK or TAMS, “it puts pressure on us to be even greater,” said Stasio.
— City Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 322 or kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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