Glenburn school committee to file two letters of intent

GLENBURN – The town’s school reorganization planning committee decided Tuesday to keep all options open, but is recommending that two letters of intent be filed with the Department of Education by the Aug. 31 deadline.

The recommendation will be presented to the School Committee at 5:30 p.m. today for their approval.

Superintendent Doug Smith noted that both proposals are inconsistent with the state’s original direction, but that other towns have filed similar, if not identical, letters of intent.

The effort to consolidate Maine’s 152 school administrative systems into 80 regional school units was signed into law in early June, and by Aug. 31, each school unit must file a notice with the commissioner of its intent to engage in planning and negotiations with other schools.

Reorganization committee members made it clear Tuesday that although they intend to file two letters, all communities still are being considered and a final decision has not been made regarding the newly mandated school consolidation legislation.

“We can file two letters of intent, but it doesn’t keep us from talking to five different options,” committee member Jan Placella said.

“The reality is you have until Nov. 8, 2008 to formally and finally make a decision,” Smith said. By that time, residents must have voted and approved a consolidation plan.

The two letters currently intended for submission to the state include the following regional school units:

. Glenburn, Orono and Veazie, which would meet the state’s requirement to have a public or publicly supported high school. The mandate allows the high school to be located outside the regional school unit. The combination, however, wouldn’t create an RSU of 2,500-plus students, as required.

. A K-8 RSU including Glenburn, Orrington, Dedham, Milford, SAD 63 and CSD 8. SAD 63 is comprised of Holden, Eddington and Clifton, and CSD 8 contains Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond and Osborn.

Prior to making a decision on the letters of intent, the committee reviewed informational letter number 10 from Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, but concluded that the legislation continues to be confusing and there are numerous questions left unanswered.

Gendron previously warned the above communities against creating a K-8 RSU without a high school because it would require contracts with one or more high schools in order to be approved.

An initial meeting of all of those towns, with the exception of Corinth, is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at United Technologies Center, 200 Hogan Road in Bangor to discuss the regionalization process.

Other communities that Glenburn likely will continue to discuss consolidation options with include Union 90, which is made up of Alton, Bradley, Greenbush and Milford; Old Town; Hermon; SAD 64 which includes Corinth, Hudson, Bradford, Stetson and Kenduskeag.

The state has suggested that Glenburn join with Hudson, Bradford, Corinth, Stetson and Kenduskeag.

There was some discussion at the beginning of the meeting whether to broadcast on the town’s local television station. The decision was made to turn on the recording equipment for those who couldn’t attend, but committee members stressed that it’s important for residents to come to meetings to provide feedback.

If residents can’t attend, Councilor and committee chairman Ron Tewhey encourages them to provide input by e-mailing him at tewheyr@glenburn.net.

“I don’t know what to say other than that these are very important,” Tewhey said. “These [meetings] are about your kids.”