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| If approved by Raymond residents in a referendum on Nov. 3, Jordan-Small Middle School, shown, and Raymond Elementary School would fall under the control of a new Raymond School Board and officially withdraw from RSU 14. High school students living in Raymond would be given a choice of where to attend high school under the proposal. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE |
In May 2018, Raymond resident Teresa Sadak began circulating a
petition among the town’s registered voters to begin a process to withdraw from
RSU14. She collected 353 signatures and presented those signatures and the
petition to the Raymond Select Board on June 19 of that same year. The select board
voted to accept the request and move forward on the withdrawal effort at that
time.
Last week the Maine Department of Education gave its initial
approval to Raymond for its withdrawal plan, which now moves forward to a
process of public hearings and workshops prior to a town referendum vote on the
issue on the November ballot.
“I have been very concerned about Raymond’s level of input and the lack of local control we have had regarding the school district’s decisions,” said Sadak, who is also a member of the Raymond Select Board. “When the new Windham Public Works Building was voted on two years ago and is now newly built, we as members of the RSU were not given a say on how that would increase Raymond’s school funding. Additionally, Jordan-Small has plenty of space to share with Windham students and the RSU is not making use of space available to them. Instead, they are placing portable buildings to address overcrowding in the Windham schools which increases tax revenue. These are my concerns and I think it is time to be self-sufficient, having control over our own schools.”
Sadak’s petition was the first step in a 22-step process required
by the State of Maine’s Department of Education. All municipalities must adhere
to this process as part of a withdrawal from a regional school unit or school
administrative district.
After about two years of meetings with direction from Educational
Consultant, Dr. Mark Eastman and Town Attorney Dan Stockford, members of the
RSU Withdrawal Committee are ready for step number 17.
Informational meetings will be held to allow for public hearings
on any withdrawal question and concerns Raymond citizens may have.
Members of the Withdrawal Committee include: Sadak as the
petitioner, Rolf Olsen represents the Raymond Select Board and is Chair of the
committee, Kate Leveille is member of the RSU14 Board
and Joe Bruno fills the
role of Raymond citizen.
The dates for the RSU14 withdrawal committee informational
meetings are:
** Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. Meeting will be via Zoom.
** Monday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. Meeting will be
via Zoom.
** Thursday, Sept. 17 at noon. Meeting site to be
announced.
** Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. Meeting at the
Jordan-Small Middle School auditorium.
** Monday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. Meeting will be via Zoom.
“If people wish to e-mail a
question ahead of time, which will be read and answered at the meeting, it can
be e-mailed to RSU.Withdrawal@raymondmaine.org,” Olsen said.
“Information for getting into the Zoom meetings will be posted on the Town of
Raymond website at www.raymondmaine.org.”
Under the proposed withdrawal plan, Raymond, which first
consolidated with Windham schools in 2008, would form a new school board, hire
a superintendent and administer Raymond Elementary School and Jordan-Small
Middle School. Raymond students could choose the high school they want to
attend if the new high school district is able to accept the new Raymond
district’s tuition payment. Right now, a total of more than 80 percent of high
school students in Raymond are attending Windham High School.
There are some concerns about the possible withdrawal from the
school district and Leveille shared
some of those apprehensions.
“As a parent of a young child at Raymond Elementary School, I
have been extremely pleased with the education and services that my child has
received as an RSU and see no need to add more change to our child’s lives
especially during the current pandemic,” Leveille said. “I also have concerns
about the quality of administrative staff currently available in Maine. If the
withdrawal does occur, we would need to hire a new superintendent in a time
when quality superintendents are scarce. Additionally, while the current
proposal guarantees that teachers will have the same contract, it is a one-year
guarantee. As for the concern that because there are only three Raymond
representatives on the school board that votes can never go in Raymond’s favor
- I can assure you, that in the two and a half years that I have been on the
school board, no one votes with a Windham or Raymond motive.”
Whatever point of view one may have regarding the RSU14
withdrawal, both perspectives want the best for the students and their
families.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the town,” Raymond Town
Manager Don Willard said. “Raymond was once nationally recognized for its
schools of excellence, prior to the RSU merger and I would like to see us
achieve this distinction once again. When you combine local control and schools
of excellence with school choice, you have a formula that will make the town an
even more desirable place in which to live.”
The 18th step will take place during the Nov. 3 general election
which will provide Raymond residents with the opportunity to vote for or
against the RSU 14 withdrawal.
For more information about the proposed RSU 14 withdrawal,
contact the Raymond town office at 207-655-4742. <
