MSAD27,
MSAD33, and Madawaska Schools continue to work on ways to provide additional
opportunities for the learners of our region, while identifying possible
efficiencies that will hopefully provide relief to member communities. Here is a brief update on a few of those
efforts:
Fund for Efficient Delivery of
Educational Services (FEDES)
In
December, the Tri-District collaborative submitted an application for the Fund
for Efficient Delivery of Educational Services (FEDES), which is a
state funded grant that has been created for school districts working towards
creating regional programs and opportunities that will enhance the educational
experience for all learners. This is a
very similar grant to the Educational Efficiencies and Opportunities grant
that was awarded to our region in the spring of 2017.
After the
initial review of the FEDES application, the Maine Department of Education
assigned two representatives to work with the three area superintendents on the
goals and budget of the grant. This
process continued throughout the months of February, March, and early
April. Finally, after a great deal of
conversations around the goals of the project and the methods for collecting
evidence for those goals, the Tri-District region has been awarded $715,903.00!
The
following summarize goals in the grant:
● Addition
of innovation lab at the St. John Valley Technology Center
● Creation
of a Coordinator of Innovation and Community Outreach to work with our member
communities on the benefits of regionalization for the future of our region
● Substitute
teacher training program for regional substitute teachers
● Comprehensive
professional development plan for area educators
● Transportation
improvements with potential for revenue
● Enhancement
of French Language and Acadian Culture integration within our schools
● Support
for personalizing learning pilots
● CPR
and First Aid Training program for all CTE students, 8th graders, and CTE staff
With the
award of this grant, our Tri-District region has now received $1,389,103.00 in
grant funds to support regionalization!
School Management and Leadership Center
(SMLC)
As part of
our region’s efforts to align to priority #4 of our Tri-District Strategic Plan, to work towards a
shared administrative structure, a part 1 application to create a School
Management and Leadership Center (SMLC) was submitted back in November. Over the past several months, the area superintendents
have been working with the law firm Drummond / Woodsum and the Department of
Education on the part 2 application for the SMLC, mostly on language for the
inter local agreement to determine which services will be shared in this
structure and how the funding for the shared services will work.
The plan
submitted to the Department of Education outlines services that may be
shared among the three school units, beginning with those that are
currently being shared, such as Curriculum Coordinator services, Alternative
Education, and the new Coordinator of Innovation and Community Outreach, as
well as those services that are targeted to be shared in the near future, such
as Superintendent of Schools and Central Office.
The
Department of Education has tentatively accepted our part 2 application, with
the understanding that the inter local agreement must first be approved by the
three school boards. This is planned to
be done during each unit’s school board meeting in May. Once that has been done, the final step will
be for voter approval of the SMLC structure.
This will be done during each community’s school budget meeting. For MSAD #27, this is scheduled for June 4,
2018.
Regional Pilot School Update
There are
no new updates to report on the status of the Regional Pilot School. The last correspondence from the Department
of Education was received on Monday, March 26 when we received a notification
that one of the finalists for the regional school had filed an appeal to the
Commissioner to examine how the points were assigned. We know that the Commissioner must take his
final list to the State Board of Education for approval. The next
scheduled meeting of the State Board of Education is May 9,
2018. We are hopeful that the regional
school will be on their next agenda.
Regarding
the regional school however, there are many rumors circulating among all the
communities that seem to have two major themes: Where will they build the
school and what will happen to our jobs?
I’d like to address both at this time:
1.
Where will they build the school?
Unlike every other school construction project in the State of Maine
which requires a site to be predetermined before the State Board of Education
approves the project, this Integrated, Consolidated 9-16 Educational Facility pilot is very different. The actual acceptance of the school will be
approved prior to the selection of the site.
Once we have received approval, the State Rules around school
construction would still apply. The
first rule to examine would be Chapter 60: New School Siting Approval. This is the rule that explains what the State
Board must consider when approving a school site. Although the local communities are involved
in this process, the State Board gives the final approval. For additional information on the conditions
under which the State will subsidize school projects, please examine Chapter 61: State Board of Education Rules for Major Capitol
School Construction Projects.
Additionally, a short video was created by Superintendent Sirois
summarizing both of these rules. The
video can be accessed at the following address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNBSPeF5ysM&t=14s
2.
What will happen to our jobs? When the process for applying for the regional
school and regional service center began, the three Superintendents were
determined to find a way that efficiencies would be generated through staff
attrition, or retirement, rather than outlining a plan to reduce staff through
a reduction in force. The
Superintendents knew one of the first positions to be regionalized would be the
position of Superintendent, but continued pursuing regionalization with
students and the future of education in the St. John Valley in mind.
Although
the realization that a new school will replace three current high schools is
exciting, it is understandable that staff are concerned about their future. We need to keep in mind that a regional
school is at best, four to five years away, which gives us a great deal of time
to plan appropriately. It also gives
time for the State to work out issues with the retirement system and time for
the current districts to work with the various associations. We remain committed to doing what is best for
all three school units, their students, and their staff.
In an
effort to put any rumors to rest, here are a few things we know for sure:
● We
have not decided on a location for the regional school. The rules about site selection are clear and
must involve the communities.
● The
Department of Education still has to approve legislation allowing employees of
the SMLC to continue to contribute and draw from the Maine State Retirement
System. This will have to be rectified
before any employees (including the Superintendent) agree to work for a
regional entity.
● Labor
contracts will have to be examined for those employees who work for the region.
This is inevitable. In doing so, the districts understand that seniority cannot
be lost. This would not make any sense
and will not be suggested. The region
guarantees that everything else will be bargained in good faith and open and
honest conversations will occur with all current labor unions.
● At
no time has anyone within any of the current administration or school boards
suggested that employees of the regional school will have to reapply for
work. This also does not make any
sense. It is possible that a current
employee’s current position may change in the regional school; however, the
goal is to retain our people. Our region has some of the greatest employees in
the state, and we would not risk losing them for any reason.
This is
truly an exciting, once in a lifetime opportunity for our region. We remain hopeful that all of this work is
going to be supported by the member communities, knowing that the future of
education for the valley is very bright when we are unified!
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