Medway, E. Millinocket tuition vote set

MEDWAY – Medway and East Millinocket voters will consider renewing a five-year high school tuition contract during their upcoming town meetings.

For more than 40 years, Medway’s high school students have attended Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The current five-year tuition contract expires on June 30.

In a unanimous vote, the School Union 113 board recently approved another five-year contract. It will run from July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2007.

School officials representing both towns said the new contract was simply a renewal of the current contract.

“There is no change except for the dates,” said Sandra MacArthur, the school union superintendent.

“It is a standard contract. We look forward to working together as a union and for East Millinocket to provide the high school education for Medway students,” said MacArthur. “Our goal is to provide a good solid education throughout Union 113.”

The contract includes a provision where both boards can request an amendment or modification of the contract with a written request.

School officials said the five-year tuition contract would not preclude area school boards from working together to improve or share programs in the future.

“We should be looking at all avenues to share services, save money and boost educational opportunities,” said Steve Federico, chairman of the Medway School Board.

Don Hendsbee, vice chairman of the East Millinocket School Board, agreed. He said sharing services was something both area school superintendents should be reviewing annually and bringing forth any recommendations. He said he supported sharing services that would provide educational benefits to students.

“If the citizens of East Millinocket want to look toward consolidation [of area schools], then they have to come out and tell us,” said Hendsbee. He said residents could circulate a petition to bring the issue to a referendum vote.

“We will do the job for them and we will get all of the information, but as of this time we have had no ground swell of support.”

He said he had heard mixed views on the issue, with some supporting it and others opposing it.

Hendsbee said he was concerned that all of the educational improvements made in the East Millinocket schools in recent years seemed to be getting lost during recent discussions about area school consolidation.

More than half of Schenck High School’s student population consists of tuition students.

According to the October 1, 2001, enrollment report, East Millinocket has 102 high school students; Medway has 91; Woodville has 11; and eight come from unorganized territories.

Last year, Medway paid East Millinocket $580,981 in tuition revenue. East Millinocket is budgeted to receive $628,680 in tuition revenue from Medway this year.

“It helps stabilize our budget,” said MacArthur.

Medway pays the tuition rate set by the state.