The School Board of Regional School Unit 14 would like to respond to recent events as relates to the Raymond Board of Selectmen’s Sept. 2 vote to include a referendum question on the Nov. 4 ballot to ask the residents if they favor filing a petition for withdrawal from RSU 14.

Over the past five years that the towns of Windham and Raymond have worked together as RSU 14, the schools in our communities have (and continue) to thrive. The most notable example of this is our stature in the state as a leader in innovative curriculum development and instructional delivery – our most important work. Countless other accomplishments can be found on our website (http://www.rsu14.org/2013-14%20Achievements.pdf).

There are economies of scale that are derived from the two communities working together. Having one set of administrators (a central office), one transportation service, one food service operation, and one maintenance and operation service are just a few examples. In addition to the time and costs that both communities will incur if there is a withdrawal process (a complex and lengthy legal procedure), Raymond will also incur the costs of duplicating the overhead that is already in place and working very efficiently.

To the extent that Raymond residents may believe that we need to examine the fairness of the internal cost-sharing formula and that we need to address the conditions of the middle school buildings, those activities have previously been put in motion.

Over a year ago, the School Board charged a subcommittee, the Middle School Facilities Advisory Committee, to review the current conditions (not the capacity) of the two district middle schools and provide options and recommendations to the School Board for possible facility changes in support of efficient and high-performing middle-level educational programming. The committee completed the first leg of its work this past June and presented options for the School Board to consider. The School Board has not yet formally discussed those recommended options.

Simultaneous to this activity, the Finance Committee and School Board some months ago recognized that, pursuant to the Certificate of Organization of Regional School Unit 14 (Windham-Raymond Schools), it was time to study the internal funding formula between the towns of Windham and Raymond as relates to the school district.

Because the cost sharing between the two towns is so integrally related to any decisions made about the future of our middle school buildings, the School Board decided to place the activities of the Middle School Facilities Advisory Committee on a brief hold in order to place the internal funding formula as first priority work. At its Sept. 3 meeting, the School Board authorized a sub-committee, the Cost-Sharing Formula Sub-Committee, to study the internal funding formula. Neither the Middle School Facilities Advisory Committee nor the funding formula activities were determined by external forces, but rather by the School Board’s prioritization of the important work needed to bring high quality educational services to our students as we look forward.

The School Board has been – and will continue to be – committed to ensuring that all students and staff within the district are provided with equal opportunities for the highest levels of educational success, and that the costs associated with creating these opportunities will be shared by both towns in the fairest manner determinable. Our intent is to continue the activities of the Cost-Sharing Formula sub-committee (comprised of equal Board representation from both towns) until the results of the referendum are known – and hopefully beyond – with the intent that all of the progress and successes made during the first five years of consolidation will continue well into the future.

RSU 14 Board of Directors