PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — When members of the MSAD 1 board meet again in January, they will revisit the high school’s harvest break policy following a request from one of their own who had voted against ending the longtime tradition.
At the board’s Dec. 12 meeting, the directors accepted an addition to the Jan. 16 meeting agenda from board member Carol Bell to reconsider the February decision that ended the high school’s harvest break effective in 2019.
“I wanted to give notice to the SAD 1 board that in January, I will be making a motion to rescind or repeal the decision to change the harvest break,” Bell said.
In February, the MSAD 1 board voted 9-7 in favor of ending the high school’s harvest break as of 2019. Based on that decision, this past fall was to be the last time the high school stopped classes for three weeks so high school students could work temporary farm jobs during the region’s potato harvest.
Under the policy, the high school will no longer break during September and October, but students will be able to miss school for up to three weeks to work harvest jobs if they have permission from parents and agree to make up class work. Starting in 2020, students who want to work harvest will be limited to two weeks.
The decision came after lengthy debate among members of the board and public, with some board members, educators and parents arguing that the break disrupts student learning and leaves many students idle and unsupervised.
According to a survey by the high school, 14 percent of students last year worked at area potato farms during the harvest break, 8 percent worked at the MSAD 1 educational farm and 35 percent worked in non-farm jobs. Some 43 percent of the students apparently did not work or engage in community service.
Farmers and advocates of the harvest break, including Bell and other board members, argued that high school students help fill a crucial labor role while also gaining valuable work experience and income during a short time period.
The move to reconsider the policy in January will require new public hearings.
In other MSAD 1 news, the board is gearing up for the 2019-2020 budget season and for revisiting the issue of school building right-sizing.
Board member Paul Saija, who oversees the board’s building and grounds committee, said the committee has been conducting a “post mortem” on the failed $15 million bond referendum and will be working with administrators to bring new proposals to the board next year.
