CARIBOU, Maine — The RSU 39 School Board voted last night to move Limestone’s high school-aged students to Caribou from the 2017-18 school year onward.
Prior to the meeting, the Town of Limestone sent a letter to the RSU 39 school board requesting that they hold off on the vote until everyone has more time to consider their options. Board Chairperson Tanya Sleeper confirmed that they did receive the letter, however directors ultimately voted Wednesday, April 5 to discontinue high school education in Limestone beginning in the fall.
All public comments during the meeting were requested in advance, and Sleeper read the names of those wishing to speak from a sheet of paper. The first comment regarding Limestone came from Kathie Beaulieu, spokesperson for the Limestone School Committee, who stressed the importance of keeping Limestone’s grade 9-12 students in their own town.
Kathie Beaulieu, a spokesperson for Limestone School Committee, spoke out against RSU 39’s decision to move Limestone’s High-Schoolers to Caribou during an Apr. 5 RSU 39 meeting held in the Wellness Center Gymnasium. (Staff photo/Christopher Bouchard)
“We are opposing this closure because we would like to see greater discussion and engagement with the community when the RSU faces budget issues, rather than sharing your budget concerns with the town at one meeting and voting within the next month to close our high school,” Beaulieu said. “You wouldn’t even allow our School Committee the opportunity to meet with you since then to collaborate on other options. This does not sound like a process which is serious about soliciting student and community input. It seems as if the decision has already been made.”
In her statement, Beaulieu also said that RSU 39’s budget problems are not the fault of Limestone Community School, that some vocational classes could be moved to Limestone instead of having everything located in Caribou, and requested that the process of school closure be more transparent and comprehensive for the sake of students.
“You may think you know what’s best for our kids,” Beaulieu said, “but let it be known that we will never stop fighting for what we know is best for them, no matter the outcome tonight.”
Superintendent Tim Doak, before the vote, said he understood the social aspect of moving Limestone’s high school, and how it would result in the loss to their community and sports mascot (the Eagle), adding that small rural schools are closing across the nation.
“It’s not the teachers’ fault and it’s not the community’s fault,” Doak said, clarifying that this is a result of funding decisions being made on the state level.
“Money is one thing and educational opportunity is another,” Doak said. “I don’t want any school to have no AP (advanced placement courses), no early college classes, and no upper level science and math courses.”
Board member Betheny Anderson brought up the fact that many rural communities send their students to Caribou.
“Caribou isn’t just the kids on Main Street,” Anderson said, “it’s New Sweden, Connor, Stockholm and Woodland. They all come to Caribou High School. They’re our best students and they come from other areas. Caribou stands for all those communities.”
Board member Michelle Albert, the only member present from Limestone, motioned to table the closure as Clifford Rhome, also from Limestone, was not present, and also to spend more time looking at alternative solutions.
“We’ve had discussions about solutions, but during our meetings it wasn’t about looking for other solutions, it was about this being the only solution,” Albert said.
Doak said that the decision to opt for a public meeting in the Town of Limestone, as opposed to a discussion amongst just the budget committee, was an effort to inform everyone of the decision.
“We’ve had multiple budget meetings,” Doak said. “Mark (Bouchard, RSU 39 business manager) has worked countless hours on this budget. I’d tell him to go home. I’m not going to stand up here and take this, and this board doesn’t want to take that. We thought it was such a big deal that we wanted everyone involved. We’ve cooperated and given (Limestone) everything they need. My thing is that if you feel you can withdraw, financially, then do it for your kids, but don’t sit here and think we did nothing. We’ve spent countless hours on this.”
Albert’s motion did not make it to the voting stage.
Ron Willey motioned to transfer Limestone’s high-schoolers to Caribou, unless there is a significant development regarding RSU 39’s current financial position. The motion was seconded, but later withdrawn.
Tamara Cote then made a motion to send Limestone’s high school students to Caribou, which all board members, with the exception of Albert, accepted.
Moving forward, Limestone is still proceeding to look at options concerning withdrawal from RSU 39.
Limestone Town Manager Fred Ventresco said he was not surprised by the school board’s decision.
“I don’t think any of us were surprised,” Ventresco said. “A lot of us thought it was a foregone conclusion.”
Since a petition to look at withdrawal has been sent to the town, Ventresco says they have no choice but to hold a vote on the matter. In preparation for this vote, the town of Limestone plans to hold a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the fire station, in which they will request up to $25,000 to fund “efforts to research/explore postions, gather facts and figures, and determine the choices and costs of schooling the students of Limestone, and further look into the possibility of keeping LCS open for all grades this upcoming school year.”
