SAD/RSU 45: More questions than answers
To the editor:
I was in attendance at the last school board meeting held in Washburn. Once again some concerned citizens voiced questions that apparently there are no answers for. Several board members expressed a desire for more information before they could make a decision on moving our seventh- and eighth-grade students to our high school facility.
A decision of this magnitude should not be made without an open forum to receive input from the communities involved. A contractor does not build a building and then go back and draw the plans. This is what we are being asked to do. Just vote for it and then we will figure out how to make it work.
We are being told the elementary school is “packed to the gills.” Why is a building that was built to house all our elementary students now too small when we have significantly less students? The answer is we need to get more students in our high school. No matter which building you use, you still only have so many secondary students and so many elementary students.
“Research indicates that ninth-graders are more successful when transitioned to the high school at an earlier time.” Where is the research for seventh- and eighth-graders? We are told we have too many students in a classroom. How will that change? Do we intend to go backwards to a ‘one room schoolhouse” concept?
The district is facing a large funding issue that probably will impact each town’s taxes in some way. We have been told this move will save money but have not received any numbers to support this.
The school board has asked for input from the public. Please, please parents, grandparents, and taxpayers, contact your board members and make your concerns known. Also, please plan on attending the next scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m.
Connie Heald
Perham
