Kids deserve a quality education

Last week, citizens of Durham, Freeport and Pownal participated in a town-hall style gathering – the annual budget meeting – and approved a school budget for FY 2015-16. This is the budget that will be presented to the public for validation on June 9.

Many have asked how this budget came to be, and what the public can expect to get in return for financial support of our schools.

The 2015-16 budget was designed to address needs identified by school administrators when reviewing the state of our schools. Based on these needs, building principals and program directors developed a list of recommendations necessary to move our schools forward. These were then vetted by the RSU 5 co-superintendents and subsequently presented to the board for deliberation. The board reviewed each recommendation, and prioritized requests based on need as defined by district leaders.

Major budget drivers are decreases in state funding accompanied by increased state requirements, and the need to increase critical staff due to changing student needs.

Of the 7.77 percent budget increase approved by voters on May 27, 4.2 percent covers rising costs in heat, insurance, plowing, transportation, wages and benefits, as well as the first bond payment of the high school renovation (this payment will save RSU 5 approximately $1.3 million over the life of the bond, and it represents 0.8 percent of this year’s increase).

The remaining 3.57 percent are critically important expenditures that will address areas of need and improve performance at RSU 5 schools. Examples include:

• Funding for Freeport High School: Per state law, Maine high schools are required to transition to standards-based education. Funds are necessary to train teachers, add classes to meet new graduating requirements, and provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and internships;

• Intervention services for students who struggle academically: Our scores indicate that the lower-performing student population at many RSU 5 schools is not meeting the target for academic growth;

• Staff to address the needs of our special education population: Our Special Ed Department is not currently in compliance with all state requirements; · Psychological and social work: Help for students who struggle emotionally, and whose needs are not currently met;

• An additional first-grade teacher at Morse Street School: To keep class size below 20;

• A part-time educational technician and additional guidance: For Pownal Elementary to address current understaffing;

• A Pre-K program for Durham Elementary School: Studies show undeniable improvement in performance for students who receive early intervention and/or have access to early education;

• Additional part-time nursing: To accommodate new medical needs;

• Two new custodians: To address current understaffing and to relieve other school staff from having to perform custodial work, such as cleaning and maintaining school buildings;

• Modest improvements in technology: To comply with state-mandated standards-based reporting protocols;

• Art, music, text books and instructional supplies and equipment.

Funding the above recommendations will ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and will allow for the basic running of our schools. While this budget does not address all existing needs (many vital recommendations have been left unfunded), it is an important first step toward school improvement.

Throughout the budget process, administrators and board members have done due diligence looking for efficiencies in the operation of our schools. With creativity and ingenuity, some administrators have been successful in finding ways to address increasing student needs without additional funding. At Freeport High School, teaching schedules will be redesigned to allow for more personalized instruction, additional pre- and after-school teacher “office hours,” and monitored, small study halls to help students meet new graduation requirements. The Special Ed department will replace 13 outsourced Ed Techs with eight. By bringing those ed techs in-house, student needs can be addressed more efficiently.

Beyond that, there are no evident building-based savings that can be captured at this time. Our schools are lean already. Lean is good, and we want our district to be run responsibly and efficiently. However, over the last few years RSU 5 operations have been trimmed and staff time has been re-allocated (to address new, more urgent needs) to the point that we now have to restore some of those services. Understaffing, and in some cases under-funding, have created unsustainable situations that must be addressed. In the case of Pownal Elementary, for example, the ed tech and guidance time included in this year’s budget replace similar services that were either cut or re-allocated in the recent past. Similarly, the two additional system-wide custodians funded in this budget will replace building maintenance time that was shifted to transportation in the last few years.

Given additional demands and/or diminished resources, RSU 5 staff productivity today is higher than it used to be: At Morse Street School, teachers deliver quality education with the assistance of fewer ed techs and fewer literacy interventionists; at Freeport Middle School, two special education programs have been added without additional resource allocation; guidance and secretarial staff have also taken on additional duties without added resources. We recognize and appreciate the efforts that staff have made to accommodate increasing workloads, yet we can’t expect to maintain – let alone improve – the quality of education at RSU 5 if we continue to place more demands without making more resources available.

As for larger, system-wide efficiencies, those may be found upon review of the current RSU 5 structure of running six small schools for 1,870 students. This year, with interim leadership, the time wasn’t right to begin discussing long-term initiatives such as the consolidation of services and/or buildings. With a new permanent superintendent taking the helm at RSU 5 this summer, however, the community will have the opportunity to engage in a conversation about how best to distribute resources, possibly making some long-term changes in the way we operate our schools – and possibly capturing considerable savings.

Another important initiative our district must engage in is the design of a new strategic plan, the blueprint we need to truly move RSU 5 forward. Our new superintendent (with the help of his administrative team, teachers, students, board members and the community) will identify priority areas where the schools can make achievement gains; will set targets to measure growth; and will closely monitor progress to make sure that we are meeting our goals. Accountability will come into play, which makes funding our administrators’ recommendations for the FY15-16 budget even more pressing. Those recommendations are the tools that will allow teachers, principals and directors to meet their targets. In the absence of those tools, it is difficult to raise expectations or to hold people accountable for improving performance.

While I recognize that the 7.77 percent increase in this school budget is high, it is critical that voters understand that this budget is based strictly on need, and that it leaves $380,000 worth of vital recommendations unfunded. Moreover, it is important to note that once we establish a healthy baseline for funding our district, we will be able to run great schools without large annual budget increases.

Education is not cheap, but it is a wise investment. Especially in the case of RSU 5, investing now is critical. Improving our schools goes hand in hand with improving student retention. Offering a high-quality education will hopefully decrease RSU 5’s high student attrition. Higher enrollment will allow the district to benefit from economies of scale and will save taxpayers money in the long run. Invest now, to reap future rewards.

Good schools attract active families, promote economic growth, broaden our tax base and bolster property values. Most importantly, our kids deserve a quality education to ensure they will succeed later in life.

Please support our schools. Please vote yes on June 9.

Valy Steverlynck

Freeport

RSU 5 board member

Repeating mistakes

We’ve all been there. The petulant child terrorizing the mom or dad at the supermarket checkout counter. We stand back, the silent witnesses, trying to telepathically empower the parent through the line without capitulating. And, when the cave happens, we silently hope that we would have been stronger parents, able to reason with the beast.

As a parent of school-aged children in Pownal, I really want to support the RSU 5 budget. I want to pay my share for the privilege of public education. My tendency as a parent is to buy off the screamer and get through the checkout line, somehow supporting the large budget increase as an olive branch to the other towns in the RSU.

However, as a selectman from Pownal, I’m scratching my head wondering how this budget increase, including $150,000 increase by amendment, will possibly pass muster in Pownal. I would have thought that after the rancor of the withdrawal movement, the budget would have been sensitive in a healing mode to the concerns that the three towns need to move forward, together. Throwing $150,000 at amendments for contingencies feels like buying off petulance with a candy bar.

A sound fiscal budget for RSU 5 could be the foundation for binding the three towns in the covenant of public education. Flashing a wish list budget rekindles old grudges and does not move the RSU forward.

Because I’m that conflicted parent, I would like to support the budget, acknowledging that the next time I come to the RSU checkout line, I’m going to have to deal with the same behaviors.

As a selectman, I am shaking my head wondering how we got back in this situation, repeating past mistakes.

Jon Morris

Pownal

Investment in the children

I am writing in support of the proposed 2015-2016 school budget. When I review the budget from the eyes of a parent, taxpayer, and concerned Freeport resident, I see nothing that looks excessive or above and beyond critical resources needed to maintain the quality of education, meet state requirements, keep our buildings clean and safe and make progress where needed in the RSU 5 educational offerings (especially in light of the cuts over the last six years). I also have confidence in our school board and administrators who have spent countless hours understanding and balancing out district needs, costs and efficiencies.

We have three elementary-age children, and like other families we are hopeful that we can unite as a district and move beyond some of the challenges of the last few years. Perhaps these challenges can serve as a springboard to move forward in creating a stronger school district that strives for quality and excellence.

I remain concerned, but very optimistic, that we will be able to focus on ways to build on recent success, continue offering quality education and address areas that need strengthening and growth. I believe that the quality of our schools is critical to making our community an attractive place to live, work and raise a family.

Passing a budget that supports teachers and students to achieve their best is key to a strong foundation – it is not only an investment in the children and their future, but also the community as a whole.

Katie Spaulding

Freeport

Increase overdue

The Freeport, Pownal and Durham students and their dedicated faculties and staffs deserve the opportunity to be one of the top school systems in this state.

For years, we citizens have made excuses for why our schools never make the list that always includes Falmouth, Yarmouth and Cape Elizabeth. We have top administrators, dedicated faculty members, supportive families and beautiful playing fields. It’s time to step up to the plate and give RSU 5 the needed and proper financial support to be a system that is both respected and sought after in this area. I have five grandchildren in the Freeport schools and I want them to feel proud to receive their diplomas from Freeport High School when the time comes.

Please join me in voting to pass the way overdue increase in the budget for RSU 5 on Election Day.

Caroline Southall

Freeport

A PTA community thank-you

The Durham Community School PTA would like to extend its sincerest “thank-you” to all those who helped to make 2014-2015 a successful school year. We organize many events from small to large that all help in some way to enrich the lives of the children in this community. Here are just a few of the different types of events and activities that we plan and fund:

Yearly fundraiser, Treat Street for Halloween, Holiday Craft Fair and luncheon, Scholastic Book Fairs, teachers monthly snack cart, after-school art program, teacher’s appreciation breakfast, Memorial Day Fun Fair, Meet-and-Greet for Durham/Freeport/Pownal eighth-graders, kindergarten survival kit bags, enrichment opportunities, such as visiting authors and music presentations, grade level field work and transportation, educational grants for teachers, Conservation Camp, Kinderconcert, rope course maintenance, supplies third Mandalas, band T-shirts and hats, math team T-Shirts, Share Center membership for DCS staff, supplies for Science Enrichment.

None of these activities would be possible without the help of PTA members, school administration and staff. But, it is the support of our community members, businesses and organizations that we would like to take a minute to recognize. Please stop by and say thanks and always support local – they do a whole lot more than we know:

Athletic Boosters Club of Durham, American Kicks, Amvets Post 13, Aroma Joe’s, Bilodeau Insurance, Boy Scouts, Cairn Construction, Copp Excavating, Durham Fire Department, Durham Girls Soccer team, Durham Rod & Gun Club, Eureka Community Center, Get N Go, Girl Scouts, Hammond Lumber, Lisbon Federal Credit Union, Mystic Quilting Friends, Ripley & Fletcher Ford.

Unfortunately, we can’t list all the names of individuals who contribute. You are many and some of you choose to remain anonymous! Without you we could not accomplish all that we do. We can always count on support from Durham and the greater community. Thank you, thank you, thank you and see you next year! Have a great summer!

Members of the Durham Community School PTA

Get them the resources

I am writing to urge the voters of Durham, Freeport and Pownal to please turn out and support the proposed RSU 5 school budget on June 9.

For the first time since RSU 5 was formed, this year’s budget process allowed our school board (and the public) to receive direct, unfiltered recommendations from the hired experts who know the needs of our schools best: our principals and program directors.

These professionals have pointed out that while RSU 5 has much to be proud of, it also has many needs that cannot be put off any longer. Like a car whose “service engine” light is on, there comes a time when simply putting gas in the tank is not enough. Our administrators’ recommendations are not “wish lists” – they are clear-headed assessments of what they need to do their jobs, and do them well.

As a community, we expect our school leaders to create environments where our children can reach their highest potential. We expect them to support teachers in delivering an education that gives our children the best chance for success in a fast-changing world. Similarly, our school leaders must have a voting public that trusts their judgment and provides the resources they need to satisfy community expectations.

The interim superintendents and the full school board should be applauded for allowing a transparent, unfettered look at the needs of our schools. Let’s listen to the experts and get them the resources they need.

Please join me in voting in favor of the RSU 5 school budget on June 9.

Eric Horne

Freeport