Guest Post: No Dialog, No Leadership, No Plan
In many rural towns K-12 public education is, if not the last, the most important institution of the community. While not cooperatively organized, most SAD’s are governed by a representative form loosely determined by population. Local citizens are asked to vote on major decisions (budgets, capital outlay, & reorganization) put forth by “the board”. Citizen opinion, in a democracy, is important. Public education should put a high value on involving their constituents both physically and mentally; it’s what education is about. Unfortunately, at both the local board and state level the effort of leadership to involve the citizens is lacking. The Dept. of Education and local boards often make their proposals and decisions with a narrow view of public opinion, mostly because they are reluctant to face the critical review of the public.
In recent years the State Dept. of Education has tied new building construction to consolidation efforts in order to save money. The present state policy says that they would favor administrative consolidation and are not in favor of closing small rural schools; but the end result is just the opposite- no administrative consolidation and the closing of many rural schools. Why?
In the winter of 2003, the Maine State Dept. of Education came to Dexter to see the need for a new middle school. Surrounding school districts (SAD 4- Guilford, SAD 41- Milo, SAD 46- Dexter, SAD68- Dover-Foxcroft, and Greenville) were invited to hear about “Planning for the Future”, which provided some interesting information on demographics, property valuations, and General Purpose Aid for Education provided by the state. There was good discussion and most everyone left with more information than when they came and the opinion that Dexter needed a new middle school. The demographics proved to be dramatically in error. During the following year Superintendents and several board members from each of these districts met to talk about consolidation possibilities; unless you “ had the ear” of a school board member you would not know these discussions were happening, but there was always gossip at some level. The discussions were undoubtably beneficial but the result was poor and no discernable benefit from consolidation (cooperation) could be found. I was not surprised; what group of Superintendents would look to justify eliminating 4/5’s of their jobs, and what group of board members could give up power to a regional administration. There are good reasons to cooperate, they were not well represented. I was stunned when 2 of my school board members publicly stated that the best way to replace the middle school was to consolidate within our district. This came from school board members who had, years earlier, adopted the motto: The school is the heart of the community; the community is the heart of the school. Soon, 12/04-1/05, 4 public meetings were announced in each town in the district.. The board presented a plan: close all the schools in the district with the exception of the H.S. and Tech center and build a K-8 school. The weather was poor, as was the attendance, but more information was transmitted to the public. Gossip continued. Several ad hoc committees were formed to determine where such a large school with all new athletic fields and attending parking could sprawl out into our present day farmland. Architects were hired, money was being spent, but all business was done in executive session. The public might prove to be a problem when you are wheeling and dealing. Thank God the first dairy farmer approached to sell knew the value of land, as farmland, and wanted to continue to farm. The ad-hoc committees looked elsewhere to buy land as cheap as possible and finally this spring the SAD#46 board announced they had taken out an option on 46 acres of land outside of Dexter. Soon, people will be asked to vote on this concept. I ask everyone in SAD#46 to pay attention to what is happening to each of our communities. I think that most parents would want to have their youngest children educated as close to home as possible and towns with a walkable, centralized (consolidated) concept would be most desirable. Our rural nature needs to be protected from sprawl and enchroachment. Afterall, most of us live here because of what we already have, not what someone is going to promise us. I want a new middle school, in fact, I want more than that, but I want what is best for the region (the Maine Highlands). By being strong communities we will have a strong region. The state needs to recognize the uniqueness of each rural community and how it already connects with its neighbors and economic centers. It also needs to defend its conflicting positions on school consolidation and new school construction. This can be done with dialog. While that will take time, we will have to live with the final decision for an even longer time.
I find it interesting that 4 of the 5 superintendents involved in the original discussions are no longer employed locally, there have been several administration changes recently and board members have come and gone, but long time residents, the staple commodity of a strong community, have not been adequately engaged.
It appears that a small group of local board members and some Dept. of Education building specialists met to lay the present plan. At the local level the plan is one of default i.e. we will do anything in order to get a new middle school. At the state level the plan is one of sprawl, enormous expense, and the closing of 3 primary schools (all of which are located in the center of their respective communities, have adequate buildings and room for expansion). Dept. of Education employees have publicly stated that rural towns are in “denial” that their school population is declining. The Garland elementary school is at capacity (even after moving 3rd grade out several years ago) and we will have to provide 2 new portable classrooms to educate the large incoming group of kindergarteners. Garland and Exeter are desirable locations for people working in Bangor. Dexter is a desirable location for people to settle because of its compact village configuration with a lake. The present plan does not address these circumstances in the right location. Schools are social constructs. Applying industrial methods will not give us better schools.
Jim Bunn, Garland, Maine
In recent years the State Dept. of Education has tied new building construction to consolidation efforts in order to save money. The present state policy says that they would favor administrative consolidation and are not in favor of closing small rural schools; but the end result is just the opposite- no administrative consolidation and the closing of many rural schools. Why?
In the winter of 2003, the Maine State Dept. of Education came to Dexter to see the need for a new middle school. Surrounding school districts (SAD 4- Guilford, SAD 41- Milo, SAD 46- Dexter, SAD68- Dover-Foxcroft, and Greenville) were invited to hear about “Planning for the Future”, which provided some interesting information on demographics, property valuations, and General Purpose Aid for Education provided by the state. There was good discussion and most everyone left with more information than when they came and the opinion that Dexter needed a new middle school. The demographics proved to be dramatically in error. During the following year Superintendents and several board members from each of these districts met to talk about consolidation possibilities; unless you “ had the ear” of a school board member you would not know these discussions were happening, but there was always gossip at some level. The discussions were undoubtably beneficial but the result was poor and no discernable benefit from consolidation (cooperation) could be found. I was not surprised; what group of Superintendents would look to justify eliminating 4/5’s of their jobs, and what group of board members could give up power to a regional administration. There are good reasons to cooperate, they were not well represented. I was stunned when 2 of my school board members publicly stated that the best way to replace the middle school was to consolidate within our district. This came from school board members who had, years earlier, adopted the motto: The school is the heart of the community; the community is the heart of the school. Soon, 12/04-1/05, 4 public meetings were announced in each town in the district.. The board presented a plan: close all the schools in the district with the exception of the H.S. and Tech center and build a K-8 school. The weather was poor, as was the attendance, but more information was transmitted to the public. Gossip continued. Several ad hoc committees were formed to determine where such a large school with all new athletic fields and attending parking could sprawl out into our present day farmland. Architects were hired, money was being spent, but all business was done in executive session. The public might prove to be a problem when you are wheeling and dealing. Thank God the first dairy farmer approached to sell knew the value of land, as farmland, and wanted to continue to farm. The ad-hoc committees looked elsewhere to buy land as cheap as possible and finally this spring the SAD#46 board announced they had taken out an option on 46 acres of land outside of Dexter. Soon, people will be asked to vote on this concept. I ask everyone in SAD#46 to pay attention to what is happening to each of our communities. I think that most parents would want to have their youngest children educated as close to home as possible and towns with a walkable, centralized (consolidated) concept would be most desirable. Our rural nature needs to be protected from sprawl and enchroachment. Afterall, most of us live here because of what we already have, not what someone is going to promise us. I want a new middle school, in fact, I want more than that, but I want what is best for the region (the Maine Highlands). By being strong communities we will have a strong region. The state needs to recognize the uniqueness of each rural community and how it already connects with its neighbors and economic centers. It also needs to defend its conflicting positions on school consolidation and new school construction. This can be done with dialog. While that will take time, we will have to live with the final decision for an even longer time.
I find it interesting that 4 of the 5 superintendents involved in the original discussions are no longer employed locally, there have been several administration changes recently and board members have come and gone, but long time residents, the staple commodity of a strong community, have not been adequately engaged.
It appears that a small group of local board members and some Dept. of Education building specialists met to lay the present plan. At the local level the plan is one of default i.e. we will do anything in order to get a new middle school. At the state level the plan is one of sprawl, enormous expense, and the closing of 3 primary schools (all of which are located in the center of their respective communities, have adequate buildings and room for expansion). Dept. of Education employees have publicly stated that rural towns are in “denial” that their school population is declining. The Garland elementary school is at capacity (even after moving 3rd grade out several years ago) and we will have to provide 2 new portable classrooms to educate the large incoming group of kindergarteners. Garland and Exeter are desirable locations for people working in Bangor. Dexter is a desirable location for people to settle because of its compact village configuration with a lake. The present plan does not address these circumstances in the right location. Schools are social constructs. Applying industrial methods will not give us better schools.
Jim Bunn, Garland, Maine
posted by PP | 7/06/2006 02:56:00 PM
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