The residents of Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Jefferson, Newcastle, Nobleboro, and South Bristol have the opportunity to shape their children’s education for years to come, all by taking a brief survey.
As you read in the corresponding front page article by Elizabeth Walztoni, the towns that make up AOS 93 are exploring the possibility of restructuring to, among other outcomes, increase efficiency and reduce long-term costs within the five-school system.
District administrators first proposed the exploration in April. In the months that followed, the towns’ school committees voted to give the superintendent the authority to hire an attorney to guide the district throughout the exercise.
Now the process has reached a critical point – public outreach. In order for this exploration to yield any sort of useful output, administrators need your input. And, frankly, you should give it.
We’ve heard the grumblings at annual town meetings about how education costs are to blame for taxes going up. We’re aware of concerns about what grade levels have access to certain materials in a school building. We understand local students matter to the community.
The reason we know all this is because you’ve told us, repeatedly. Now it’s time for you to tell the district so administrators can take educated steps forward.
You can rank the importance of keeping property taxes level and maintaining property values. You can identify the grade-level configurations you feel the district should have in place. You can specify what aspects of the system are priorities to keep in place for years to come.
If you have an opinion about these matters or others, we strongly urge you to get involved now, at the outset of what is likely to be a long, arduous process.
Decisions are made by those who show up. It would not benefit anyone – the students, the teachers, the taxpayers – to wait until the dust settles before saying your piece.
To access the survey, go to aos93.org.
