The Regional School Unit 40 board of directors rejected the latest version of the Many Flags/One Community proposal when they met, Oct. 4. Under RSU 40’s weighted voting system, the vote was 522-381.
The document under discussion is called “The Many Flags Steering Committee Recommendations to School Boards Regarding the General Principles and Organizational Structures for the Governance, Ownership and Shared Services of the Many Flags/One Community Model.”
The proposal for a single campus comprising a 700 to 750-student regional high school, a community college, the Mid-Coast School of Technology (MCST), and other vocational training began with discussions with MCST and the two former school districts that now comprise RSU 13. In 2010 the Many Flags steering committee invited the Five Town Consolidated School District (CSD) to join discussions about the project.
That same year, following a request for a letter in support of Many Flags, the board of what was then MSAD 40 stated that they did not support the project because it was not in the best interest of their students.
Last July, following a presentation by Many Flags Project Coordinator Alan Hinsey, the RSU 40 board scheduled a workshop meeting to discuss the proposal. Since that time the project’s name has been changed from Many Flags/One Campus to Many Flags/One Community.
On Oct 4, Hinsey said the plan was still to build a single campus. The earliest possible date for construction funding, if appropriated, would be the fiscal year that begins in July 2013.
According to current proposal, “the new name emphasizes the full regional coordination aspect of the Many Flags model and demonstrates our commitment to serving all students in the region.”
Hinsey was joined Oct 4 by SAD 28 Board of Directors Chair Tori Manzi, who also serves on the CSD board and the Many Flags Steering Committee.
Manzi said her district shares many of RSU 40’s concerns about the plan, in particular the funding formula and the focus on building another campus in the region that might be located at some distance from existing schools. She said the CSD has had problems dealing with MCST. Manzi said she was at the meeting on behalf of the Many Flags steering committee, and did not speak for the CSD board.
The plan calls for districts to continue governing their own schools and programs. “A significant challenge will be balancing the unique organizational structures and legal accountability of each educational institution participating in the Many Flags model,” the document states.
A flow chart in the proposal describes an 11-member board of directors comprising two members each from RSU 13, RSU 40, the CSD and Region 8. The island high schools, Maine Community College System and University of Maine System would each have one representative on the board.
The board’s first tasks would be to develop by-laws, a funding formula and operational policies and procedures. Ultimately, it would oversee management of the new entity and hire a three- or four-person staff, including an executive director who would work part time at the start and be paid with grant funds. Directors could come from existing school boards or be community members chosen by those boards.
The chart shows three advisory councils that would provide advice and input to the board of directors. A 28-member Community Advisory Council would comprise representatives from businesses, community organizations, school faculty, students, parents, the general public and local government.
A 14-member Cooperative Programs and Services Advisory Council would represent the affiliated academic institutions. A Cooperative Management Advisory Council would include the business managers of RSU 13 and and Mid-Coast School of Technology, as well as MCST’s director and possibly a representative of a private non-profit educational institution that might own buildings on the campus.
Manzi said her board decided to join the Many Flags project in order to form a large enough group to provide programs it cannot sustain on its own, such as robotics or Chinese.
“We need a single schedule for all schools,” Manzi said. She said all students would benefit from the opportunities Many Flags offered, “despite the fact that there’s a campus somewhere. Even in the best-case scenario that’s five years out.” She said Medomak Valley High School’s horticulture program is an example of something that could be shared among the districts.
RSU 40 board vice-chairman Dennis Wooster, of Warren, said a Many Flags board could be unbalanced in favor of one of the individual districts, if the two MCST representatives were from that district.
“I’m perennially against this,” Ann Donaldson of Union said. “We don’t need another layer of administration.”
Gail Hawes, of Union, agreed. She said the top layer of governance was not needed and that the three advisory boards might be sufficient. Hawes also expressed concern about the weight island schools would have in decision-making, relative to the amount of money they would put into Many Flags.
She said proceeding further without putting the matter to a public vote was inappropriate.
“It seems that the horse has been bought and the cart’s been bought,” she said. “There has not been outreach.” Hawes said the community members she has spoken with do not know enough about the project and many think it is just about building a new campus for Oceanside High School (OHS) and MCST.
Manzi said OHS and MCST have put in separate applications with the state for funds to replace their buildings, but that they are “both way down the list.” She said the CSD thinks of the campus as separate from the Many Flags concept.
“Many Flags has the most opportunity to get funded,” Manzi said. “We’re just trying to move this forward.” She said the agenda for the next steering committee meeting called for members to consider a public straw vote.
RSU board and steering committee member Tod Brown, of Warren, agreed the single campus could be problematic. He said new educational technology tools could make sharing programs easier between remote locations.
Referring to “multiple pathways” the document states that “equity of programs and services available to all students must be a goal in the Many Flags/One Community model. Special emphasis will be placed on the use of technology, the use of appropriate distance learning techniques, as well as the flexible movement of faculty and staff around the region to ensure that those students who are not physically present on the Many Flags campus on a routine basis will be afforded access to and availability of the same programs and services provided to students who do routinely attend classes on the Many Flags campus.”
“We will have opportunities to stop and withdraw,” Brown said. “I would like to continue to go forward and see what we can come up with. I think that is where education is heading.”
Brown said Many Flags would create a governing agency that could bring about a unified schedule for many schools that are part of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.
Darrell Goldrup, of Waldoboro, said taxpayers have no large pool of money to dedicate to the new project.
“It behooves us to stay in the race until we see what it’s all about,” Brown said.
Hinsey said he expected the plan to come back to the local boards in approximately three months. He said public forums would review the plan at that point and a non-binding vote would be held to inform board in its decision whether to hire an executive director.
“This is so smoky,” Guy Bourrie, of Washington, said. He asked why RSU 40 was not instead exploring baccalaureate programs and other ways to improve education in the district.
“I think we can look at a common schedule without approving this plan,” Hawes said.
Voting against the plan were board Chairman Danny Jackson, of Waldoboro and members Bourrie; Donaldson; Goldrup; Hawes; Wooster; Sandra O’Farrell, of Waldoboro; and Wayne Luce, of Warren. In favor were Brown; Erik Amundsen, of Union; John Heller, of Waldoboro; Lynda Letteney, of Waldoboro; Maggie Massengale, of Warren and Errol Silvestri, of Friendship. Mary Genthner and Cynthia Rosen were not present.
“I’m disappointed,” Hinsey said Oct. 5. He said the RSU 13, MCST and Five Town CSD boards all unanimously approved the governance plan. He said RSU 40 would still be sending students to MCST whether at the existing facility in Rockland or at a new campus. Hinsey said they could opt back into Many Flags later.
“We keep that door open always,” Hinsey said.
The next meeting of the RSU 40 Board of Directors is scheduled for Thurs., Oct 18 at 7 p.m. at the Prescott Memorial School in Washington. For more information, call the RSU 40 Central Office at 785-2277.