Voters of MSAD 46

Goodbye and Hello and Thanks!

2008-09-03T20:02:00.000-04:00

By the lack of activity here you knew that something was up.After approximately two years and 437 posts, we're retiring "Voters." This blog began on April 22, 2006 and ran until June 11, 2008. In that time we posted an average of four times weekly, and we had 43,054 page loads, an average of 391 per week. Not too shabby for a small-town blog!Nevertheless, our attention has turned in other

Exclusive! Tonight's Agenda!

2008-06-11T06:42:00.001-04:00

It's another Voters exclusive, the agenda for tonight's meeting of your representatives!Of note here is a first-ever report from the Adult Education Cooperative. (Whatever happened to the Technical Center Regional Council, a similar cooperative body? Seems as though the Board doesn't have a representative?)Also of note is the co-curricular and extra-curricular appointments. That and a revision

Budget Referendum Vote Today!

2008-06-10T05:40:00.000-04:00

I think democracy a most precious thing, not because any democratic state is perfect, but because it is perfectible. It sounds heartbreakingly banal, but I believe that you cannot even fool most of the people most of the time. They are quite likely to vote in their own interest. I also believe that since a democracy is made up of individual electors, the electors will protect the rights of the

Congratulations Graduates!

2008-06-08T08:34:00.002-04:00

(click to enlarge)

"Leadership" ?

2008-06-05T06:39:00.000-04:00

Look at the budget before us and look at Article 3, "Leadership." The amount is $957,908.Remember that we're moving toward "administrative consolidation." To that end the State has reduced the amount sent to the districts in support of system administration. For SAD 46, in the present fiscal year, FY08, the State allocated $369,562 for system administration; for FY09, the amount will be

Zipskinny!

2008-06-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

http://zipskinny.com/ points to data on towns such as level of educational attainment, age ranges, household income, and so on. It presents census data through a simple zip-driven interface.After you've done a search, try some of the colored tabs (top and bottom) for more features. The "compare with other zips" feature is especially interesting.What? What's this have to do with education, or

08-09 School Budget Revealed (in living black & white)

2008-05-29T06:23:00.000-04:00

(Click to enlarge)You probably got your budget flyer in the mail on Tuesday, the same day as the public informational meeting.Did you go to the meeting? I went, but I didn't see you! Actually I constituted half -- 50% -- of the public attending; it was not a large turnout :-(Eight of the thirteen board members attended; this included four out of the six members of the Budget and Finance

Small High Schools! An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

2008-05-28T06:43:00.000-04:00

Ten years ago, when the first NEWSWEEK list based on college-level test participation was published, only three of the top 100 schools had graduating classes smaller than 100 students. This year there are 22. Nearly 250 schools on the full NEWSWEEK list of the top 5 percent of schools nationally, available on Newsweek.com, had fewer than 200 graduates in 2007.from "Small Schools Rising", Newsweek

Newsiness

2008-05-27T06:30:00.001-04:00

We've lately gathered a number of short items that may be of interest.An agenda for this Wednesday's special board meeting was posted here at the District site on Saturday. Didn't know there was a meeting coming up? No one but the insiders knew. Not to worry, though, it's just routine. $13 million dollars routine. As the saying goes, a mere bag of shells!According to the May 14 Piscataquis

2008-05-26T06:31:00.002-04:00

Memorial Dayby Edgar A. GuestThese did not pass in selfishness; they died for all mankind;They died to build a better world for all who stay behind;And we who hold their memory dear, and bring them flowers today,Should consecrate ourselves once more to live and die as they.They were defenders of the faith and guardians of the truth;That you and I might live and love, they gladly gave

Unwarranted? Not Now!

2008-05-23T06:45:00.000-04:00

We've scanned the full warrant for the upcoming District Budget Meeting (June 5, 6 pm) and made it available over at our documents site, Citizens. To see it, click here.The format may look unfamiliar, as it now follows a template created by the State.Of particular interest -- always -- is the local option. The amount recommended by the Directors is $350,712. In the previous three years the

Percentages: Low, Low, High, So-So, High! Or Maybe Not!

2008-05-21T07:25:00.000-04:00

A new report from the Rockefeller Institute, "The States and Their Community Colleges", compares community colleges' share of total higher education enrollments, growth in enrollments, and costs state by state."Community colleges" are two-year public colleges, so in Maine, both the community colleges as well as the technical colleges are included. The figures used are from 2005 and earlier, with

"Consolidate" is On Everyone's Lips!

2008-05-19T06:27:00.000-04:00

Consolidation is such a great idea, you have to wonder why no one ever thought of it before!Seriously, we bring you today a further permutation of the consolidation idea: a writing into law and regulation of consolidated high schools.Resolved: That the Department of Education shall recommend to the State Board of Education an innovative model of consolidated and integrated secondary and

"Open" or "Closed"?

2008-05-14T06:45:00.002-04:00

Here's an interesting refinement in the new voting procedure:Under a new state-mandated budget process, district budgets go through a two-step approval process with the first step being a district budget meeting.At that meeting, residents have the option of raising or lowering spending levels if the board keeps the articles open. If the board chooses to make the articles closed, spending cannot

RPC: 7 of 12 "Meets or Exceeds the Standard"?

2008-05-13T06:29:00.003-04:00

We know they've been working very very hard. The voters will look at their work soon and each voter will make her own judgement as to the quality of that work.But take a look at the agenda for Monday night's RPC meeting (announced on Saturday -- you had planned to attend, right?). Look at the membership list, and then compare it to those actually present at the last meeting (minutes here).It was

School Budgets Galore!!

2008-05-07T06:34:00.000-04:00

.nobr br { display: none }A number of districts are now bringing their budgets out into the light so that the voters can look them over.Here's a brief look at a number of them.Click on the district name to get a newspaper article that may illuminate the situation (or not!)DistrictBudget Total in M$Change in State $ in K$Budget Change %(K$)Local Change %(K$)SAD 46$10.2+$2432.20Winthrop$10.3-$400(+

Budget Update

2008-05-06T06:35:00.004-04:00

An article ("Budget plan cuts 10.5 positions") in this morning's Bangor Daily News gives us (most of us) our first glimpse at next year's budget. We'll quote the article here and provide a link when it becomes available.Update: Here's the link, and here's the lead:A proposed budget that eliminates the equivalent of 10.5 positions in SAD 46 will be presented to SAD 46 directors for adoption on

"Lost" Meeting

2008-05-05T06:22:00.000-04:00

No, honest, it really happened, even though traces of it are, well, trace!Here's the evidence (click to enlarge):This meeting was announced as "Board of Directors Budget Workshop & Adopt 2008-2009 School Budget: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:00 PM – Dexter Regional High School– ATM Room" in the agenda (posted 3/31) for the April 2 regular School Board meeting. You saw it there, didn't you!As it

New "Leahw"

2008-05-02T06:36:00.003-04:00

A look at the new revisions to the education consolidation ("administrative consolidation") law shows, I think you'll agree, that you can work 'til midnight, but you're not necessarily doing your best work at that hour.Look at the law itself (LD 2323, An Act To Remove Barriers to the Reorganization of School Administrative Units), or at the summary provided (so helpful!) by the Department of

Poor Science, Boiled Truth

2008-04-29T05:45:00.007-04:00

The article title is "Intent on addressing Maine's science teacher shortage", and you'll find an excerpt and a link to the full text over at Articles of Interest, along with a varied lot of other interesting and timely material. Every day the discerning editors at Articles winnow the chaff from the wheat (in educational news) and deliver the best right to your electronic doorstep!The lead of the

They Got Theirs!

2008-04-28T07:39:00.000-04:00

A gloating piece ("New law is victory for MDI schools") in the Bar Harbor Times gives us a glimpse into the deal-making around efforts to revise the reorganization law in the waning days of the recently-adjourned legislature. (Did this legislature ever wax?)The article -- in an approving manner -- details the back-and-forth between the Governor, the Commissioner*, the MDI RPC, and Richard Spencer

Where Do Dropouts Fall?

2008-04-24T14:52:00.001-04:00

It won’t be long now, before high schools will be celebrating their success in graduation exercises. Unfortunately though, the lists of graduates who actually receive diplomas will probably be shrinking! Each year there are significant numbers of high school seniors who are unable to receive diplomas due to failed grades, incomplete work or dropping out. Many students drop out in earlier

Back to Work!

2008-04-18T06:40:00.000-04:00

Today's Bangor Daily tells a confusing story about activity on education bills in the Maine Legislature over the last few days.Essentially, it seems that the House has passed the changes to the consolidation law sought by Baldacci and Gendron, and turned down "superunions". The Senate "gave the measure all but final approval late Thursday."Out on the Interstate yesterday afternoon, we saw those

Sooner or Later We'll Consolidate!

2008-04-16T06:42:00.001-04:00

On Monday evening the local RPC (those nice folks who are leading the local consolidation effort) threw up their hands and went home.In a sparsely-attended* meeting lasting just 40 minutes, those present decided to call the whole thing off, at least until things become a little clearer in Augusta. The promptly-produced minutes (Thanks!) are here.As far as we can tell, and as reported here in

What 8th Graders Used to Know?

2008-04-14T06:46:00.000-04:00

Here's part of an exam for 8th graders that's been making the rounds:GRAMMAR(Time, one hour) 1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications.3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of do, lie, lay and run.5. Define Case. Illustrate each case.6. What is

Subversion and Falsification in Augusta

2008-04-11T06:39:00.001-04:00

Here are the Senate votes from Monday. Highlighted in yellow are the legislators who seem to have suddenly had a change of heart. You're welcome to speculate on what might have caused such a reversal!The Manie Department of Education yesterday issued a "Reorganization Update" newsletter which includes a "Legislative Update":Things are moving quickly in the Legislature this week as three

Breaking News: Solons Jump the Rails!

2008-04-10T06:45:00.001-04:00

According to a story in this morning's Bangor Daily News, the Maine House yesterday voted 73-59 to repeal the entire consolidation law! [link when available] LINK!This follows Monday's curious reversals by the Senate, which first approved LD 1932, the "Superunion" measure, and then, after a Baldacci veto, killed the measure! The first vote (21-14) had seemed to indicate sufficient votes to

No News == No Noose?

2008-04-08T06:39:00.000-04:00

Forgive the cuteness of the title.The point? Why would anyone think that withholding information is: smart, helpful, democratic, or American?Look at the new school effort. Take a look at http://www.newschoolproject.info/ and its associated pages. The only thing up to date here is the site work photos, which -- unfortunately -- are not worth a thousand words!It's labeled "February", the "Update"

Are You Aliterate?

2008-04-07T06:43:00.000-04:00

Last December, we shared information about the status of reading at Dexter Regional High School. The underlying reason for the lack of interest in reading is not entirely the fault of the school. Some believe that reading , whether for information or pleasure, involves too much of an investment of time. Others believe that "the times they are a-changin" and for them, video and internet sources

Fixing Education?

2008-04-03T06:50:00.000-04:00

The political season is upon us and some might say that it's on us like a heavy pack on a hot day. Just about every politician will trot out his or her "fix" for education. Have mercy!Nevertheless, we will most of us do our duty and, eventually, vote. Before then we'll do some reading and listening and thinking about the big issues.One big bundle of big issues concerns education. Over at Slate

School Budget Silly Season

2008-04-01T07:31:00.001-04:00

Those of you who are veterans of school budget campaigns already know what to expect this time of year. When asked to reduce their school budgets, Superintendents and their school boards will come up with distasteful, cynical cuts that are only designed to inflame the passions of staff and parents, while further alienating taxpayers. Take for example the budget deliberations in Auburn. When the

The Joy of......

2008-03-31T06:37:00.000-04:00

School Budgets!In spite of all the school administrative consolidation talk, there is still lack of consensus regarding the control and funding of the public schools in Maine. For me, it's simple; whoever is paying for it should control it. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. According to figures included in a recent Bangor Daily News editorial, "Since the 2004-2005 biennium.......

Rumor Control: Whoa! Not True!

2008-03-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the agenda for Wednesday's School Board meeting, courtesy of yr fthfl & obdt svt! It's all there, every bit of it, in living black and white, reproduced just as it came to us.Which reminds me...we need to clear up a misunderstanding. It's come up that some folks think that we here at Voters actually write these agendas. As evidence, these confused (tho' well meaning) folks point out

"What if?"

2008-03-28T06:26:00.000-04:00

School consolidation opponent Skip Greenlaw raises the "What if?" question. It goes like this: What if there are no savings from school consolidation?In truth there are two variants on this question.There is the localized version: What if there are no savings when two or more SAUs (School Administrative Units) merge? Will the State back off? Greenlaw tells us that last June Education

Extirpate Failure Through Euphemism!

2008-03-26T06:10:00.001-04:00

Two recent developments might just push an observer of the education scene -- one less sunny and optimistic than yours truly (!) -- right to the cliff of despair. Both involve the degradation of our beautiful language, and both seem to work to erode the meanings associated with ordinary words.Here's the first: in Massachusetts there's a protracted discussion on how to describe failure without,

Commissioner of Convenience

2008-03-24T06:30:00.000-04:00

The recent decision of Maine Commissioner of Education, Susan Gendron, to waive the minimum requirement of the 175 day school year makes me wonder. Aren't there enough days in the calendar left for making up the difference caused by "snow days"?What about alternatives to provide students with the needed educational opportunities?One of the most common complaints of good teachers is that there

News is Busting Out All Over!

2008-03-21T07:59:00.001-04:00

We call your attention to news from thither and yon that in one way or another affects the educational enterprise.To wit:In Portland there's a kerfuffle about the number of grant-funded positions within the school department and the City Council's request for this information. This seems to have been answered, at least in part, for now. It's the veritable tip of the iceberg for much larger

Something For Nothing?

2008-03-20T06:30:00.001-04:00

There's a report in the Portland Press Herald about the City Council's "Quest for Data..." relating to grant funded positions.In the community in which I have lived for most of my life there was a long standing opinion that grants had too many strings attached and that there might be hidden mandates.Do you think that when a granter awards money for a program that there is real fund accounting, or

We Agree, Commish!

2008-03-18T06:54:00.000-04:00

An article in the Kennebec Journal ("A model for school consolidation") has Education Commissioner Susan Gendron singing the praises of the effort made by Winthrop, Maranacook Area Schools, and Fayette to keep their communities informed of the issues they face in attempting to consolidate.The vehicle for this effort is a consolidated newsletter, Ramblin' Chalkboard. Click on the link and take a

Democracy Comes to Bangor

2008-03-17T06:24:00.000-04:00

A recent article in the Bangor Daily News ("Voters to have say in school budget") spells out a sea-change in the way many larger municipalities in Maine will handle their school budgets.Until now, the school budget has been developed and adopted by elected officials. The school committee developed it and presented it to the City Council, which held first and second readings and then adopted it.

Student Last?

2008-03-11T06:34:00.000-04:00

According to a February 27th BDN article, "Voice of the Students,"Educators, school administrators, local elected board members, politicians, state officials and parents have all weighed in on the law mandating school consolidation in Maine.Conspicuously absent has been the voice of those most affected by the law: the children in our schools.Do you really believe that it is the “children in our

Like Peeling An Onion

2008-03-10T06:17:00.000-04:00

It has never been so obvious. Consolidation as a money-saver doesn't pass the straight-face test.Governor Baldacci inveighs against excessive administration in the schools -- and thus strikes a populist chord -- but cannot apparently force the Department of Education (DOE) to retreat from the very mandates that create the need for extra "administration" out in the districts.Nor can he, apparently

Did You Vote for Coercion?

2008-03-07T06:30:00.000-05:00

Waterville Superintendent Eric Haley finds himself in a difficult spot these days; apparently he's reviled, if not damned, no matter which way he turns.You can get a sense of his dilemma by reading this article ("State tells school officials they must justify withdrawal from merger talks") from Tuesday's Morning Sentinel.Waterville has been engaged in good faith discussions with area districts

Grab The Shovels!

2008-03-06T06:07:00.000-05:00

A Diana Bowley article in the Bangor Daily News Wednesday describes the seasonal necessity for rooftop snow removal. It also points out the dangers of not adequately taking care of that situation.Cracks were detected in ceilings of the Lebanon Elementary School, and also in 11 support beams over the gymnasium in the Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram.Susan Gendron, Maine’s Commissioner of

Breaking News! What Happened a Month Ago!

2008-03-04T05:19:00.001-05:00

Stop the presses! Here's another Voters exclusive!If you click on this link, you'll get to the post over on Citizens (our document repository) where you'll find the minutes for the February 6 School Board meeting.To be fair, some bit of this was covered in a short Bangor Daily News article.But here's what wasn't covered there, and in fact only now sees the light of day!Four Board members missing!

Agenda: Voters Exclusive (Alas!)

2008-03-02T20:57:00.003-05:00

(click on images to enlarge to readable size!)Not a lot of apparent drama here. Just enough for us to say "Alas!"Why? Well, why should we, after all, be your exclusive source for the timely publishing of these agendas?Note the awarding of the bid for the new building.Note the second appearance (it appeared on the February agenda too) of this item:You have to wonder at what point the District

How About A Trip To The Woodshed!

2008-02-28T06:37:00.000-05:00

We received a comment on our recent post “Startling Revelation! Schools Spend Too Much! !" Whether or not you wish to chop it is up to you.Personally we think it is worthy of discussion and are reproducing it here in its entirety. We see it as an example of the kind of rational defense that can be made for local schools, when they are being made by a principled leader.Mr. Paul Stearns has made

Not Cynical, Not Us!

2008-02-25T06:15:00.001-05:00

We try not to be cynical about government here at Voters. In a very real sense our governments -- at all levels -- are not "them" but, rather, "us." We try to subscribe to the notion that if we don't like the government -- at any level -- we have the power to change it. The converse of this, of course, is that maybe people have exactly the kind of government -- at all levels -- that they want

Startling Revelation! Schools Spend Too Much!

2008-02-15T05:42:00.000-05:00

A report issued Thursday rates counties, municipalities, and school units according to their adherence to State budgetary guidelines, their "LD 1 limits."Here's the Kennebec Journal news article:Report: Schools spend too much (KJ update, 2/14/08) Note especially the numerous (50 plus) comments.Here's the report from the State Planning Office:LD 1 Progress Report Here's the "money quote", so to

Read Articles: You'll Be the Life of the Party!

2008-02-14T11:32:00.000-05:00

These are, as the purported Chinese proverb puts it, "interesting times."We know you like to be informed; that's why you read Voters. Voters is your source for current information about what's happening in the District. If you depended on that other source -- the District itself -- you wouldn't have a record of a School Board meeting until two months after it occurred. In fact, you would only

Doo Diligence?

2008-02-11T07:51:00.000-05:00

So says Commissioner Gendron in a letter to the Orono School Committee (and others).We've covered the Orono story for a while (here and here), with the most recent post telling the story of their reversing a previous decision and opting to ally with Glenburn and Veazie rather than with Old Town and Union 90.There's more discussion in the Orono School forum (click here).A commenter there points

Go Scratch!

2008-02-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

In Unity, a group of area citizens has raised money to add a performing arts center to their new school; now they're looking at the planned athletic facilities, to make sure they're adequate and appropriate.In Norridgewock and Lewiston, citizens are being engaged in efforts to name new schools, with names that will reflect the whole school district.The school consolidation controversy has

Supplemental Budget Takes Money From Kids For Teachers

2008-02-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

A little publicized plan within the volumes of the Governor's supplemental budget will seriously impact schools with large populations of "economically disadvantaged students", by shifting funds that school districts now receive specifically for those students, to other educational expenses. The funding has been based on the number of "free and reduced meals" which targets poorer children.I

"Voters": Your One-Stop, First-Stop Information Portal!

2008-02-03T21:12:00.000-05:00

Here's the agenda for Wednesday's School Board meeting. You won't find it at the Meetings and Minutes page.You also won't find there the minutes for the December meeting, nor for the January meeting. But we're very pleased to provide these for you, completely free of charge.Remember, "Voters" is your exclusive source for this information! Think of them as the alternative! Stop here first!

Stricter Penalties In School Sex Abuse Cases?

2008-01-30T06:37:00.000-05:00

While teaching is a noble profession, not all who enter have noble intentions.An Associated Press article in the January 28, 2008 edition of the Bangor Daily News, exposes an unsavory assessment of America's schools response to the "increasingly well-documented phenomenon: While the vast majority of America's teachers are committed professionals, there also is a persistent problem with sexual

Does Consolidation Favor The Maine Education Association?

2008-01-23T07:46:00.000-05:00

While there have been claims made, that the alleged savings from the forced administrative consolidation of school districts will "improve the quality of education and contain taxes" (Elinor Goldberg, president of the Maine Children's Alliance), we do not agree with that appraisal.One of the many issues raised by those trying to implement the new law is the requirement that all of the separate

Negotiating The RSU Curve

2008-01-22T06:34:00.000-05:00

For many, the Governor's administrative consolidation plan appears to have been hastily drawn and rushed to passage. But those who have been paying attention now see how earlier developments foreshadowed the present situation.For years now there has been a methodical shift from expenditure-driven budget formulas (before 1997), to a guaranteed, adjusted foundation allocation (1997), to the most

Update: Construction Photo

2008-01-21T10:57:00.000-05:00

"Is this what they mean by a 'pole barn'?"

Orono Reverses Previous Action on RSU

2008-01-17T05:48:00.000-05:00

This was part of the agenda Tuesday evening, and when it was over, the Orono School Committee voted to go with the Orono-Veazie-Glenburn configuration, rather than the Orono-Old Town-Union 90 group it had earlier approved.This reverses their vote of November 29 to accept the larger RSU.Click here for a report on the meeting in the "Friends of Orono Schools" forumIt will be interesting to see

"Voters" Regrets: We Were Just Unable to be There!

2008-01-15T19:21:00.000-05:00

I wasn't able to attend the RPC meeting last night; I was far too busy setting out my tomato plants. As someone once said," No plot. No ulterior motives. Simple Maine weather." Anyone go? Can you tell us what happened?I hate to bother you, of course, but the minutes aren't up yet at the RPC page.

RPC Open for Business!

2008-01-11T05:38:00.000-05:00

We're pleased to point you toward the new web page, made public on Wednesday, of the RPC (Reorganization Planning Committee) for SADs 4 and 46 and Harmony and Willimantic.You'll see at their page a schedule of upcoming meetings, an agenda for the next meeting (January 14, 6:30, Dexter Regional High School), and explanations of the way the committee intends to go about its business.We've added

"Do You Get It?"

2008-01-08T06:05:00.000-05:00

"Tell me again what you think it means."

Strategize Standards-based Content!

2008-01-07T05:50:00.000-05:00

You've got a report to write? You have a proposal due? Your principal, your association, your peers have asked you to make a presentation?The Internet has just made your job a whole lot easier! You must be especially careful if you just cut and paste someone else's work though, that's plagiarism of course.But if it's the language part that has you baffled then we suggest you use the Educational

Quick Recap: Wednesday SB Meeting

2008-01-04T05:42:00.000-05:00

Two new School Board members from Dexter were introduced: Patricia Smith and Al Ross.Steve Bell's contract was extended another year, through June, 2010.The design and funding for the New School building goes before the State Board of Education next Wednesday, January 10. It goes out to bid on January 15.Interviews were held for an owner's representative, but the Facilities Committee could not

New Year, New Agenda!

2008-01-02T05:47:00.000-05:00

And it's low calorie. High fiber, too. Begin your New Year's diet today!

A Happy New Year...

2008-01-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

from all of us to all of you!NEW YEAR MUMMERS IN MANCHURIA

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T17:48:00.000-05:00

Below you'll find a link to an mp3 of Elvis's version of "Here Comes Santa Claus," first released in November 1957 -- fifty years ago. (The cover shown here is from the re-release at Christmas 1958.)Beyond enjoying the glories of early Elvis, you'll notice that the lyrics are quite a bit different from those they sing in the schools!Merry Christmas!Here Comes Santa Claus

"Close!" Counts in Education?

2007-12-21T06:09:00.000-05:00

The Commissioner of Education has gone public with her December 15 responses to the December 1 reorganization submissions (a mere 5 days late!).You can read the response for the "Four-Part Harmony" RSU here.The full set of responses can be accessed here. In it you'll learn that SAD 64 (Corinth) is talking with Glenburn and you'll see that SAD 41 (Milo) is being nudged toward Dover and

Gendron Does Not Meet Target

2007-12-18T06:29:00.000-05:00

School units raced to get their plans in to the Department of Education by December 1, often enough at the expense of providing any opportunities for public discussion. Heads down, they charged ahead, hellbent on meeting that deadline.The next deadline in the process, as spelled out in the law (PL 240, Sec. XXXX-36, sub-§7-A -- full text here), is December 15.Here's the relevant language from

Carnival Today!

2007-12-14T06:54:00.000-05:00

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! We suggest today, for your reading and contemplation, the varied topics and viewpoints made available at The Carnival of Education. Perhaps you aren't familiar with the "carnival" concept on the web? It's a movable feast of links related to a certain broad theme, presented at shifting sites on a more or less regular basis.By way of illustration, here are are a few

Friday the 13th...

2007-12-13T05:56:00.000-05:00

falls on a Thursday this month! So be careful!

Linky Roundup: News from Hither and Yon

2007-12-12T06:25:00.000-05:00

Philanthropist leaves scholarships for Maine childrenEvery child born in central Maine hospitals -- and eventually every child born in Maine -- will get a college savings account, thanks to a foundation established by philanthropist Harold Alfond, who died last month.Latest information concerning the new pre-K–8 school project in SAD #46The site work will begin immediately as equipment and

The Great Education Game

2007-12-11T06:31:00.000-05:00

The rationale for standards-based reform was that expectations would become more rigorous and uniform, but states' proficiency tests vary "wildly" in difficulty, "with 'passing scores' ranging from the 6th percentile to the 77th." Indeed, "half of the reported improvement in reading, and 70 percent of the reported improvement in mathematics, appear idiosyncratic to the state test." In some states

Visions of Sugarplums

2007-12-10T06:15:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year, for the young and the young at heart!Here at Voters we're almost not able to sleep at night, anticipating all the joys of the season.We're looking forward to seeing family, and having good talks with old acquaintances, and remembering seasons past when others were among us. We'll watch the youngsters as they glory in this special time, too.And on top of

The Minutes Tick By...

2007-12-06T05:43:00.000-05:00

We've posted minutes for the November 7th and 29th meetings over at Citizens.To be informed about what happened last month, click here!(another Voters exclusive -- alas!)

Reading: "Consistent and Alarming"

2007-12-05T05:37:00.002-05:00

Among the findings is that although reading scores among elementary school students have been improving, scores are flat among middle school students and slightly declining among high school seniors. These trends are concurrent with a falloff in daily pleasure reading among young people as they progress from elementary to high school, a drop that appears to continue once they enter college. The

Ground Breaking Plot!

2007-12-04T05:29:00.000-05:00

From msad46.org:Ground Breaking Ceremony December 4, 2007 at 2:00pm at the new K-8 School location on the Fern Road!!Please join us on Tuesday, Dec 4 at 2:00 pm on the Fern Road (accessible via Upper Main Street or Route 94 in Dexter) for the Ground Breaking Ceremony for our new K-8 Building project. Remember this excerpt?The reason for the February referendum is simple: we live in Maine! If the

AY(yu)P: Reading on the Rocks

2007-12-03T05:48:00.002-05:00

Read into it what you will, but the State Department of Education has released the annual AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) list, as required under the No Child Left Behind Act. Click here for the list.On the list you'll see that the District's elementary schools and Dexter Middle School made AYP. Dexter Regional High School made AYP in mathematics, but not in reading. For reading the school is now

We're Back!

2007-11-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

And we'll be up to speed soon enough.When things are quiet, they're quiet. (But notice how much less gets told and said when Voters is in sick bay?)We'll be updating Articles soon. We hope that Saturday's papers will give updates on the various meetings and votes of Thursday night. Orono was expected to have a rough one. As soon as it's available we'll direct you to that report.In the meantime

Special Meeting Next Week

2007-11-21T22:39:00.000-05:00

From the agenda:A. Reorganization PlanRECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Directors authorizethe Superintendent of Schools to submit the reorganizationplan in compliance with the reorganization lawEarlier, there was a public hearing spoken of, to be held before the December 1 deadline for submission of plans.It looks like that isn't happening.The RPC has, at least lately, met in public. Those most

True Love, Careless Love?

2007-11-16T06:23:00.000-05:00

This week's Piscataquis Observer, as is usual of late, has interest and excitement in spades.You should get your own copy and read it all yourself, of course. In the meantime, we'll just give you the gist.Milo (SAD 41) is going with Dover (SAD 68). We don't know if this is "going" in the way that term is used in 7th grade, or "going" like in high school (or later). We mean no harm nor find

What is "Normal"?

2007-11-15T07:13:00.000-05:00

The lead article in yesterday's New York Times ("Bad Behavior Does Not Doom Pupils, Studies Say") covered two new scientific studies that may have profound implications for early childhood education. You can connect to the story through this "Articles" post. The story was picked up by numerous other news sources by the evening.The first study determined that kindergartners who behaved badly

An Old Fashioned Love Song

2007-11-13T07:57:00.000-05:00

The SAD 46, SAD 4, Harmony, and Willimantic RPCs met last evening in Harmony.They're cooking up your future and everything is going just fine, thanks for asking.They're almost like certain young folks at the start of something big. It's almost as if they're trying to keep something hidden!I wonder how a school district would let the citizens know about something important. That is, you know, if

Get Yer RPC On!

2007-11-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

Two more meetings of the SAD 46 RPC (Reorganization Planning Committee) with the comparable committees of SAD 4, Harmony, and Willimantic have been scheduled, for November 19 and 26.These are in addition to the previously-scheduled meeting on the 12th. Details and much much more at Voters Events Calendar!

(SAT Scores) Maine High School Assessment

2007-11-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

The Maine High School Assessment (MHSA) -- basically the SAT with additional mathematics material ("mathematics augmentation") -- was administered to all Maine 11th graders on May 5, 2007. It replaces the MEA (Maine Educational Assessment) that was formerly administered in the 11th grade.Spring 2007 was the second time the SAT was used in this way with Maine 11th graders. For more information

#46 RPC Chooses #4, Harmony, Willimantic

2007-11-06T07:20:00.000-05:00

35 representatives from SADs 4 (Guilford) and 46 and from Harmony and Willimantic met for two hours last evening at Dexter Regional High School in the initial meeting of this particular combination of entities. They agreed to meet again, next Monday (the 12th) at 6:30 at the Harmony School. In the meantime, the superintendents involved will put together data for the sub-committees to

"Momma don't allow...

2007-11-05T07:44:00.000-05:00

no guitar pickin' 'round here." So the song goes.Commissioner Gendron isn't "Momma."We're not talking about guitar picking.So let's modify the song!Susan don't allow no District 'picking 'round here!For all the conniving and calculating evidenced in the couple of memos we've excerpted here, the maneuvering exhibited there may be too clever by half.Here's a prediction: the Department of Education

October Minutes, November Agenda

2007-11-05T07:42:00.000-05:00

They're both available at the District's Meetings & Minutes page, posted Friday afternoon.Thanks!

"...train is picking up speed..."

2007-11-02T05:56:00.000-04:00

Choices are being made in your name. You are being kept in the dark. What's representative about this?The SAD #46 reorganization planning train is picking up speed and moving very quickly towards a recommendation. There's a lot going on right now. Here's a synopsis:The SAD #46 Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) met Monday, the 29th w/ SAD #4, Harmony, and Willimantic for our first meeting

Meets and Exceeds the Standard for Websites!

2007-11-01T10:13:00.000-04:00

In our last post we praised the Orono School Department's regionalization web page as a means of keeping their citizens informed about the process they're in the middle of.We're thrilled and delighted to report to you that since that writing they've further updated the page. Take a look at the Financial Comparison (Orono, Glenburn, Veazie) added yesterday. Pretty neat, don't you think?Isn't it

How They're Doing It, ...

2007-10-30T06:05:00.000-04:00

and maybe they're doing it right!Take a look at the Orono (Union 87) website, and follow this link: U87 Regionalization Information.It's some kind of a model for how information could be communicated to a community.The Financial Template is noteworthy, both for its existence and for its content. Districts in our region have had trouble getting templates from the Department of Education. Note that

Greenville Goes South...Not?

2007-10-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

Recent articles in the Piscataquis Observer and the Moosehead Messenger covering a recent consolidation forum in Greenville point toward Greenville (Union 60) charting an independent course, or a course that is independent, at least, of the SADs to Greenville's south.Some of the issues identified by Greenville citizens, at least as represented in these reports, are loss of control, dilution of

SAD 58 Opts In

2007-10-26T05:39:00.000-04:00

In an article in the Bangor Daily News of last Tuesday, October 16 ("State excuses SAD 22 from consolidation '' No link available -- sorry!) was this intriguing statement:SAD 58, in Phillips, passed up the [consolidation] exemption and decided to consolidate...The article, though primarily about SAD 22 (Hampden), also discussed the other districts in the state which qualify for an exemption from

Brimming with Information and Good Cheer!

2007-10-25T06:55:00.000-04:00

Be sure to check the Voter's Calendar for upcoming events. You'll find information and events listed there you won't find anywhere else! Among the listings for other events, you'll find the only public listings (in this school district at least) of upcoming consolidation meetings.If you want to know what your elected School Board has done in public meetings recently, be sure to check out the

A Clarification & Further Thoughts

2007-10-24T05:35:00.000-04:00

This is intended as a extension of Thursday's post ("Finance Committee Looks for Savings...") on the RSU 18 Finance Committee meeting.First, a clarification. Not all the savings from the reorganization scheme are intended to come through a reduction of system administration, or, more precisely, a reduction in the State allocation for system administration. The reorganization law in fact calls for

Internal Memo: A Glimpse of an Alternate Universe

2007-10-22T22:17:00.000-04:00

From an internal MSAD 46 communication:The SAD #46 Reorganization Committee has met 5 times so farTwice with SAD#64Twice with the big RSU #18Once by ourselves to get a sense of the committee membersWe intend to meet with SAD#4 et. al. soon.All meetings are open to the public.The next meeting with SAD#64 is scheduled for 6:30 on Oct. 30th at Central HSThe next meeting with RSU #18 is scheduled for

Finance Committee Looks for Savings, Still Looking

2007-10-18T12:05:00.000-04:00

The Finance Committee of the Reorganization Planning Committee for RSU 18 met last night at Sedomocha School in Dover. It was a good meeting, interesting and informative, though it might not be entirely accurate to characterize it as productive!We talked in particular about savings -- we tried to frame it as "opportunities and liabilities" -- to be realized in the areas of Instruction and System

Our apologies...

2007-10-14T20:07:00.000-04:00

for the lack of activity here recently. We've been on an excursion into the land of illness and treatment. We'll be back to fighting strength soon!In the meantime, for your vital informational needs, may we direct you to an invaluable web resource?The glory of the electronic world of the Internet is the ability therein to convey information quickly and widely. Everyone can see what you present,

Page 3 of the ED281

2007-10-05T08:19:00.000-04:00

Moving into the home stretch now, folks! Don't lose hope!This page, entitled "Computation of Unit Allocation to Fund Public Schools", is a continuation of page two.Here are "Other Subsidizable Costs" "Debt Service Allocations" (not a big issue --yet -- for SAD 46), and "Local Contribution Calculation."First let's look at "Other Subsidizable Costs." Included here are:Gifted and Talented

Page 2! The Soup Thickens!

2007-10-04T06:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's post parsed page one of the four-page ED281 for SAD 46 for the current fiscal year.That page, I neglected to say, was labeled " Computation of EPS Rates". From the numbers of students, it derived numbers of teachers and staff we should have (by the EPS formula) and compared those figures to actual staff numbers, and applied the EPS formula to our actual salaries and benefits, and