Now that Freeport has decided to explore leaving the RSU, it’s time for Pownal and Durham to explore their options, as well. A small group of dedicated secessionists led the way for Freeport’s withdrawal from the RSU. Their stated intent was to move their school district forward and have local control. In fact, they have had local control over most aspects of the school administration, except budget. Freeport’s board members are in the majority and can overrule Pownal and Durham singly or in combination, and they have. Moreover, while the Freeport group consistently said they wanted to move forward, they never said how and it appeared related to having better athletic facilities and a facelift. Nothing was ever said about how the quality of the education would be improved. The combined voters in the RSU approved a modified school improvement plan. Yet, the “move forward” group still voted to explore leaving the RSU, making their real motivation unclear. In this atmosphere, with the direction of the school unclear; Pownal and Durham might wish to seek other schools to attend, or explore more local options.

It’s time for Pownal and Durham to explore leaving the RSU, before Freeport makes the decision for us. I believe that we have profited from being with Freeport. Our kids had exposure to a larger population and we have enjoyed the teachers and high school administrators. Pownal’s teacher’s salaries were raised to a competitive level and the quality of our textbooks and educational materials improved. We needed these things. Unfortunately, some of the changes proposed at the onset of the RSU never materialized. We were initially promised the services and academic opportunities would be shared among the schools. Instead, everything was centered in Freeport and when our kids participated, they had to travel to Freeport. The transportation budget was insufficient for Pownal and Durham, resulting in our students riding the bus up to two hours a day, often starting at 6:15 in the morning

I believe that the Durham and Pownal schools singly or in combination now have the opportunity to move our children’s education forward. After all, Pownal Elementary was the only school in the RSU to achieve an “A” under the governor’s new grading system, and the Durham school is the newest and best physical plant in the RSU. So let’s take what we have and move forward, as well. If Freeport leaves the RSU, they will need Town Council and voter authorization to improve the high school. That may or may not happen and in either case, any renovations of the school would be long in coming.

What the “movers” of Freeport failed to consider was that the high school was outdated and unattractive when the RSU was formed. The voters of Freeport apparently had not seen fit to pay for renovations or build a new school long before the Pownal and Durham voters were involved. There is no guarantee that the same voters will be inclined to “move forward” now. There are other neighboring schools that have more updated facilities and a better academic reputation. Why wouldn’t we try to associate our students with one or more of them?

It may also be time to explore the possibility of combining Pownal and Durham as one unit. We apparently have more in common than we do with the Freeport community, or so we’ve been told. Obviously, adjustments would have to be made and expansion of one or the other schools would be likely, but the cost would be offset by reduced administrative costs. At its inception, the RSU board voted to remove the middle school from Pownal to establish a regional special education unit. If Freeport is no longer a part of the RSU, that unit could be moved or reduced, which would allow more room in the Pownal school. With the advent of online courses, we could likely offer diverse educational classes as are available in Freeport. Moreover, if we invest tax dollars in joint facilities, they would be accessible to our community, not a 45-minute round trip away. Any investments we make in Pownal/Durham would benefit our communities and add to our town worth. As it is, our tax dollars, other than providing a place for our students to attend high school, add nothing to the value of our towns.

I look forward to the near future to explore ways we can do more for our students and the community. Pownal/Durham together have an abundance of natural resources. We have access to the ocean, exposure to fields, forests, mountains, rivers and a lake. Perhaps we could form a charter school focusing on the environment, managing and preserving natural resources. We might have the ability to attract students from Freeport and the surrounding areas to our school. We are only limited by our imagination (and tax dollars). Whatever else, we need to find a reliable, welcoming option for our high school students.

Donna Brown lives in Pownal.