Let us dream big: Why not vote no on the current Freeport High School renovation bonds, exit RSU 5 and then redesign the school to a competitive, world-class facility?

Our son attended Freeport High School from 2009-2013. The FHS Facilities Committee did excellent work and initially had fantastic ideas for the renovation. However, the projected large student population of RSU 5 was an overbearing design constraint, curtailing options in the current plan.

The reality is – school choice has arrived. We face growing competition from charter schools, online schools, tuition and transfer options, private schools and home schooling. Furthermore, Brunswick High School has a fine facility, performs excellently on assessments and has hundreds of empty seats. If Freeport High School implements the current plan and renovates to address population, then fails to retain its student base, we will have lost a huge opportunity. We will have also possibly squandered millions of dollars. We should instead embrace student freedom and rise to the challenge.

Beyond the brick-and-mortar basic needs of FHS, there are critical options for state-of-the-art equipment, advanced technology and innovative spaces for cutting-edge academic and arts programming. Schools who compete for our students are innovative.

Our towns have been good neighbors. Post-RSU 5, our towns can negotiate a prosperous future and a return to local control. Attempting to lock students into a formalized RSU is not the answer. Students whose parents lack the resources to pursue other high school options shouldn’t be the only ones left behind. All students deserve school choice.

Our towns can still amicably share key services, staff and space without RSU 5. We have superb teachers and eager students; they deserve the best facility.

Vote no on the current RSU 5 renovation bonds. We can make FHS exceptional.

Kate Werner

Freeport