Draft budget for schools in Eastport cuts three positions

Union 104 Superintendent Arthur Wittine has presented a draft Eastport school budget that eliminates three full-time positions and makes $102,000 in cuts in other areas. The amount to be raised by local taxes would increase by $41,019, or 5%, to $861,418. The 5% increase is the amount that Wittine promised to try and meet when the city council and school committee met several months ago to discuss the upcoming budget.

The total proposed school budget is down $9,872 to $3,256,700. The school system will be receiving $34,044, or 2.9%, less in state subsidies, for a total of $1,158,782.

The positions being eliminated all involve staff who are resigning: elementary teacher John Sullivan, elementary secretary Susan Brown, and Shead educational technician Danae Kesel. Other reductions are for textbooks, elementary special education, the gifted and talented program, debt service, and the elementary principal's salary. The superintendent notes that 93% of the total budget is for fixed costs such as wages, benefits, maintenance, fuel, transportation, contracted services and insurance. He also points out that last year seven full-time positions were cut and the budget was reduced by over $350,000.

The school board received the budget at its May 2 meeting and is expected to act on it at its June 6 meeting.

New elementary principal hired
The board voted to offer Lovina Wormell of Lubec a contract as teaching principal at the elementary school, replacing Maureen Pottle, who is retiring at the end of the school year, after serving 21 years as principal. There were six applicants for the position.

Wormell has accepted the position and the contract for a $59,000 salary. Pottle had been receiving $66,040. Wormell is presently the supervising principal at the Lubec Consolidated School and previously was assistant principal and a classroom teacher.

At its May 2 meeting, the board also approved several contract terms. Shead Principal Terry Lux's salary will remain the same at $67,543, with 10 more days of vacation for a total of 35. Her contract runs through 2007. Paul Theriault will receive $200 more for a total of $5,400 as a stipend for dean of students. Shead Administrative Secretary Patricia Cook will receive $1,335 more, bringing her salary to $28,041.
The following staff received first year continuing contracts: Guidance Counselor Leah McLean, math teacher Paul Bushey, language teacher Therese Tolliver, elementary physical education/health teacher Craig Mitchell, English teacher Janice Rice, science teacher Reeser Manley, life skills teacher Susan Cox, and math teacher Cynthia Rae Rowell.

An unfunded mandate
Superintendent Arthur Wittine said he was "extremely disappointed in the governor, the education commissioner and the state legislature" for enacting "another unfunded mandate" to increase teacher salaries to a minimum of $27,000 next year and $30,000 the following year. Because the entire teaching salary scale would have to be adjusted, Wittine estimates that the additional cost for Union 104 school staff would be $233,000. Without any additional state assistance, Wittine said, "My chances of getting a school budget passed will be pretty slim."

Teacher recognized
John Sullivan, who retired from teaching at the elementary school in January, was presented with a digital weather station by the school board in appreciation for his 35 years of dedication to the education of Eastport's school children.
The board approved increasing the adult lunch prices from $2.50 to $4.20, effective immediately. The increase is required by the state.

Elementary secretary Susan Brown and technology coordinator Rafi Hopkins have resigned.

Guidance presentation
A presentation on the guidance program was given by Guidance Counselor Leah McLean. McLean, who provides guidance on post-secondary preparation, discipline and emotional issues, noted that the greatest problem at both schools is bullying, with some students even participating in "cyber bullying" on the Internet. Principal Terry Lux noted that the high school is "a high needs population" with many issues per student, so the counselor has not been able to get to work with students at the elementary school as much as needed. McLean's schedule will be adjusted next year so she will have more time freed up, and it was suggested that a developmental program could be offered at the elementary school, perhaps as part of the health curriculum.

Administrative reports
Principal Lux reported that all juniors took the Scholastic Aptitude Tests on April 1. The number of students making use of the breakfast program at the high school is increasing. Graduation requirements may be increased next year to a total of 23 credits, with an increase from three to four credits for math and the health credit increasing from half to full. The school is also looking at using the polycom/ATM systems more effectively. A six-week summer school, for Shead, Calais and Woodland students, will be held at Calais this year.

Elementary school Principal Maureen Pottle reported that Union 104 students in grades 3, 5 and 7 took a writing prompt assessment, which provides data for improvement in writing. A Title 1A reading and math summer school will be held this year from July 10 to August 4. Classroom teachers have received new laptop computers. Upcoming events include a spring concert on Tuesday, May 16, at 7 p.m. at Shead, the academic and athletic awards night on Thursday, May 25, at 6:30 p.m. and the eighth grade graduation on June 13.