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The plan, first envisioned by administrators a decade ago, calls for all pupils in kindergarten and first grade to attend the McKusick Elementary School in Parkman while second- and third-graders would attend the Guilford Primary School. Fourth-graders would attend Piscataquis Community Middle School where fifth-grade classes are now held. More than 40 people Tuesday night crowded into one of the four classrooms at the Cambridge School. Opponents of the plan gave the board petitions signed by 123 residents of Parkman and 335 residents of Sangerville urging that their community schools remain open. Former board member Ann Bridge of Parkman encouraged the board "do what it must do" in spite of community opposition. "The bottom line is we're out of students," she said. "That means we're out of money and about out of time. Parents may mourn the loss of a school but the children will step up to the bar." The plan cited declining enrollments and a need for the district to restructure its programs, curriculum and facilities for the future as reasons a reorganization plan needed to be considered. Districtwide enrollment declined from 1,016 students in 1996 to projected enrollment of 706 in 2005. During the last school year, nine pupils attended the Wellington Elementary School, 25 attended the Cambridge Elementary School, and 79 attended the Abbie Fowler Elementary School in Sangerville. If the plan is approved, Superintendent Matthew Oliver projected that 101 pupils would attend the McKusick School, 101 would attend Guilford Primary, and 46 fourth-graders would be in classes at the middle school. SAD 4 communities have essentially "flat-funded" the budget for the past few years, according to Oliver. The 1992 budget was $4.3 million while the 2001 budget is $5.8 million. That budget reflected a second year of 10.5 percent increases in the local share of the tax assessment. If all three schools were closed, the district would save more than $550,000 or 10 percent of its total budget. Oliver pointed out that a net savings of a little over $200,000 would be achieved since only three positions ÷ two teaching and one educational technician ÷ would be eliminated. The cost analysis the superintendent prepared shows that if the three towns voted to keep open their schools and support them outside SAD 4, a substantial amount of additional tax dollars would have to be raised. In Sangerville, an additional $112,670 would be needed. The cost would be $68,737 in Cambridge and $27,601 in Wellington. Susan McAvoy of Sangerville was the only board member to vote against all aspects of the plan. "I think small schools make a bigger impact on kids," she said after the meeting. "Small schools are more like a family and have better contact with the kids. · I know we face budget cuts and hard decisions, but if we lose our school, be lose a big part of our community." Sangerville residents pointed out that the Abbie Fowler School had a privately funded music and art program other schools in the district did not have. While the plan calls for art and music programs for all K- 4 pupils, parents questions whether the programs would survive future budget cuts. Members of the building, grounds and transportation committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the superintendent's office to plan a series of public meetings in September and October on the reorganization plan. |