Getting school plan right is ‘one-shot deal’
Bar Harbor Times, May 9, 2008
(excerpt) Members of the Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) for Mount Desert Island’s schools want to move quickly to develop a plan for tweaking the Union 98 structure so that it complies with the state’s newly revised school consolidation law. But at the same time, they want to be careful and do it right.
“This plan is kind of a one-shot deal,” said RPC Chair Gail Marshall. “Once you draw up your plan, there’s no comprehensive mechanism for changing it as time goes on. We want to try to build as much flexibility into the plan as possible to grease the skids for our successors, who may have to deal with circumstances that aren’t what they are now.”
Last Wednesday, the RPC met for the first time since the Legislature passed and Gov. Baldacci signed the law under which communities can request a waiver from the state’s school consolidation model and establish “alternative school organizations.” That provision will allow Mount Desert Island towns to retain, for the most part, the Union 98 structure. But since school unions no longer exist under the law, MDI towns will have to create a similar entity through an “inter-local agreement.”
It is up to the RPC to develop a plan for exactly what the new school system should look like and how it should function.
“I think the consensus (of RPC members) is that we should attempt to build a system that functions as much like the one we have now as possible,” Ms. Marshall said.
She said they also would like to accomplish that as quickly and efficiently as possible.
(excerpt) Members of the Reorganization Planning Committee (RPC) for Mount Desert Island’s schools want to move quickly to develop a plan for tweaking the Union 98 structure so that it complies with the state’s newly revised school consolidation law. But at the same time, they want to be careful and do it right.
Last Wednesday, the RPC met for the first time since the Legislature passed and Gov. Baldacci signed the law under which communities can request a waiver from the state’s school consolidation model and establish “alternative school organizations.” That provision will allow Mount Desert Island towns to retain, for the most part, the Union 98 structure. But since school unions no longer exist under the law, MDI towns will have to create a similar entity through an “inter-local agreement.”
It is up to the RPC to develop a plan for exactly what the new school system should look like and how it should function.
“I think the consensus (of RPC members) is that we should attempt to build a system that functions as much like the one we have now as possible,” Ms. Marshall said.
She said they also would like to accomplish that as quickly and efficiently as possible.
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