10/29/2007  School Consolidation Forum

Marshwood High School, So. Berwick, Maine

(12 people were present, including the facilitator and two reporters)

 

REPORT

 

Below you will find what the participants wrote down.

 

 

THREE ROUNDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MERGERS

 

Round One:  What aspects of the school mergers might be appealing?

Start by writing down a few thoughts on this yellow sheet, then share them in a go-round at your table.

 

á          Possible savings in administrative costs in smaller inefficient districts, however unlikely for SAD 35.

á          Taxes saved Ð money into the classroom by cutting Administration costs.  We can not sustain 6-12% school yearly Budget increases.

á          Cost savings

á          Access to the best of each district.

á          Shared resources.

á          Regional identity (small towns do not get as much recognition as a larger region)

á          Budget based on 5 year roll-out?

á          Cost savings Ð administration

á          Cost savings Ð buying groups

á          Larger pool of resources

á          Superintendent for 3-4 (high?) schools and it works.

á          Access to the best of what each district has to offer.

á          Lower administrative dollars.

á          Less duplication of systems/processes.

á          Larger pool of resources

á          Consolidation Ð higher buying power

á          Greater participation in programs

á          Merging of  Adult Education

á          Less competitiveness

á          Easier to recruit administrators

 

 

Round Two:  What aspects of the school mergers might be worrisome?

 

á          Could adversely impact education in SAD 35

á          Could create pressure to raise local taxes to make up for reduction in state subsidy.

á          Educating the public accurately.

á          Basic cost savings graphs of York, SAD 35, Kittery (needed?)

á          Loss of autonomy

á          Backfire if schools decline rather than excel

á          Cost/Expenses (hidden)

á          Expense

á          Bussing necessary?  If a school has a better program and its students have access to it during the day, how will bussing student to take advantage of it?  time loss during the day getting there, or having to attend after school to attend special classes, or do teachers travel?

á          Loss of culture/community

á          Loss of school culture

á          Financial burdens from other schools/community

á          Loss of one-on-one

á          Hidden costs

 

Round Three:  What other comments, opinions, or questions would you like to share?  Do you have suggestions for the next forum, which will include presentations by leaders? 

 

á          Performance indicators

á          Financial implications

á          Curriculum change/expectations.

á          Graying population=decline in school enrollment but what if trend reverses?

á          Possible to look at entire KEYS region as a district.

á          A KEYS 4-town district would have about the same population as the Portsmouth school district - look to that for model.

á          Need to find common ground between fiscal conservatives and social liberals

á          We need to see the financial and performance measures for all three KEYS region districts.