By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — For the first time in several years, SAD 1 administrators are relatively optimistic heading into the 2014-15 budget season.
At last Wednesday night’s board meeting, Superintendent Gehrig Johnson and Business Administrator Charles Anderson said that while the initial news from Augusta is somewhat favorable, they’re going to take a wait-and-see approach.
“The preliminary numbers came out on Monday and — shocking to us — for the first time in five years the initial printout shows us as a gainer to the tune of $219,000 as opposed to these half million-plus losses that we’ve experienced for at least five years,” said Anderson. “That is at least some sign of optimism; however, there’s another four weeks before the Legislature is supposed to shut down and — as we know — a lot can happen in a month’s time.
“At least we’re starting on the plus side, and hopefully a month from now we’ll still be on the plus side, or no worse than break even,” he said. “At this point we’re off to a positive start.”
In recent years, the district has had to make significant staffing cuts as a way to deal with budget shortfalls. Based on projected enrollment numbers, however, Johnson anticipates having to make fewer cuts.
“It doesn’t appear to me that we’re going to be in the position like we have been for the last several years of eliminating between six and eight teachers and five to 10 non-teaching positions a year,” he said.
Johnson said another first grade class may have to be added at Pine Street Elementary School, while at Zippel Elementary School, “it looks like we may have one less session in grade four, and one more session at grade five, which would essentially be a swap.”
With 108 sixth-graders scheduled for next year at Presque Isle Middle School, Johnson said it’s possible the district may need to eliminate one teacher there which would still keep the class size at its current level of about 22 students per session.
“We’re also considering the elimination of the equivalent of one teacher at Presque Isle High School,” said Johnson, noting that he’s also reviewing the numbers in grade three and four at Mapleton Elementary School. “The net district-wide effect is that we may have to eliminate two positions, and while we don’t like to see any reductions, this presents a less dire situation than we have faced in the past several years. With possible resignations and retirements, it is very possible that any job eliminations could be accomplished through attrition with no employees losing a job.”
Also at the March 12 meeting, directors:
• Accepted the resignations of two PIHS teachers: Pamela Willette (social studies) and Gregory Reed (Spanish).
• Approved Desiree McGrath as a special education teacher at PIMS, Ben Greenlaw as the new principal at PIHS, and Terry Wood as the district’s new curriculum director. Greenlaw will replace Donna Lisnik who will retire at the end of the school year, while Wood will take over for Larry Fox who will be retiring June 30, as well.
• Reappointed four teachers for the 2014-15 school year who have completed one year of satisfactory teaching in the district. They include Carson Dobrin (science) and Julianne Dunleavy (special education) at PIHS, Darrell Espling (mechanics instructor) at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center, and Brittany Morrison (special education/resource room) at Zippel.
The following teachers have completed two years of satisfactory teaching and were reappointed for the 2014-15 school year: Paul Ballerstein (math), LeRae Kinney (social studies) and Lisa McKenna (school nurse) at PIHS, Sara Donahue (special education) at PIMS, Rebecca Shea (speech) at Pine Street, and Terence Harper (drafting) at PIRCTC.
The next regular board meeting will be Wednesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the board conference room at PIHS.
