School board eyes cutting 10 positions in budget proposal

Teachers, city officials and members of the public turned out on May 12 for a budget workshop at Shead High School during which the Eastport School Committee recommended cutting 10 positions, which would amount to $265.422.78 in savings for the 2010-2011 budget. The school board has been struggling with how to address a $400,000 shortfall caused by a loss in state subsidy and a reduction in tuition revenue.

The costs would be saved by eliminating a classroom teacher ($33,532.43) and physical education teacher ($31,440.70) at the Eastport Elementary School as well as a custodian there ($27,205.58). Proposed cuts to Shead High School include one teaching position ($30,698.34), two ed tech II positions ($36,842.40), a library ed tech ($18,388.38) as well as a custodian ($28,522.57). Jobs of a bus driver ($38,029.34) and cook ($20,763.04) also were proposed for elimination.

Union 104 Superintendent Terry Lux reminded the crowd that these cuts were "strictly recommendations" but that this proposal was the third draft. The school board will vote on the budget on Friday, May 14.

In addition to the proposed cuts, Lux pointed out that another $6,000 was earmarked for "a contingency fund for unemployment" benefits. The school committee would be asking the City of Eastport for $88,681 in additional funding, above the amount that was approved last year from local taxes.

"We'll need to know exactly what this will do to our budget and mill rate," said Eastport city councillor Paul Critchley to the school committee.

"We're trying to keep people here who have kids, but taxpayers say they can't pay any more, so we're trying to balance both sides. We just cut four positions in city government," Eastport city council President Bob Peacock told the crowd. "And I think the most important thing the City of Eastport can do is educate."

"I've been in education 31 years," Lux reminded everyone. "We don't want to hurt programs. We want to do the least damage as we can. It's fairly transparent that there's not meat in the budget." The loss of two custodial positions would leave one at each school, "but they would have to work together."

There was a lengthy discussion about the viability of having one principal for both the Eastport Elementary School and Shead High School, an option favored by school board member David Gholson. "I support one principal for both sides of the street."

Eastport Elementary School teacher Trudy Newcomb pointed out that when she started teaching in 1992 there was only one principal for both schools. "No matter what building she was in, she was in the wrong building." Other elementary school teachers, worried that their principal Tina Wormell would lose her job if the principal positions were combined, pointed out that she is a teaching principal.

School board member Meg McGarvey pointed out that, because the school board was still dealing with AOS, "this is not a year to cut a principal."

However, before the workshop adjourned, both Wormell and Shead Principal Paul Theriault volunteered to have their work days reduced from five to four. "If it would save one staff person, why not?" offered Theriault.

Shead teacher Damon Weston suggested that the school department pay people to retire, "because veteran teachers make more money than new ones."

AOS structure considered

At the board's May 4 meeting, Shannon Emery and Meg McGarvey were chosen to serve as the Eastport members for the new alternative organizational structure (AOS) board, with Will Bradbury as alternate.

Some concern was expressed about whether the AOS is being stacked in Calais' favor, but Superintendent Lux did not think that was happening, since the other boards would have sufficient votes to counter the four Calais board members. It was also suggested that people complain to the Department of Education about its approval of the AOS plan that accepts existing central office contracts, since Union 106 Superintendent Jim Underwood has a five-year contract. Shead Principal Theriault commented, "If it looks like you're shoving a superintendent down their throats, citizens will vote down the AOS." One of the first actions of the new AOS board will be to hire a superintendent for the new district. Lux, though, cautioned that if the plan is turned down, the school systems will be penalized by the state so that they won't be able to operate.

Whether the new central office would necessarily be located in Calais was also a point of discussion.

Board member Will Bradbury, though, hoped that the new AOS board would not devolve into "turf wars."

The school board held an executive session to discuss upcoming negotiations with the teachers' union.

In other action, the board approved the senior class trip on May 28B30 to Six Flags and Boston. Class members have raised about $8,000 for the trip. The board approved the reappointment, contingent upon funding, of the continuing contract teachers Diana Boone, Heather Hamilton, Margaret Davis, Lillian Randall, Trudy Newcomb, Deborah Little, Heron Weston, Sara Moore, Dana Bard, Damon Weston, Reeser Manley, Gary Morin, David Consalvi, Robert Davis, Christina Greenlaw and Susan Cox.

Theriault reported that Cody Brown has been selected as the St. Croix Regional Technical Center Student of the Year. Eight new members were installed in the National Honor Society on April 27. Students took their annual MELMAC trip to Unity College, the University of Maine at Farmington and a college fair/Sea Dogs baseball game on May 4 and 5. The Jobs for Maine's Graduates program director was scheduled to visit the school on May 7 to discuss reinstating the program at Shead. Monies provided by an anonymous donor will completely fund the program for the next three years at Shead.

Elementary school Principal Tina Wormell reported that the school has met Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind Act for 2009-10, based on testing results. Teacher Heather Alexander has received a grant for an LCD projector. All students are enrolled in a health and nutrition program called "Clever Crazes," with the school receiving $3,000 for enrolling. Upcoming events include the spring concert on Tuesday, May 18, at 6 p.m. at Shead; the awards night on Thursday, May 20, at 6 p.m.; a field trip for Kindergarten and grades 2 and 3 on May 28 at Cobscook Bay State Park; and the eighth grade class trip on May 28B30 at Six Flags in Massachusetts.