Newport -
Students in the RSU 19 School District will have to learn with fewer resources for the rest of the school year.

The proposed $3.6 million loan to help restore and repay some of the districts debt, failed by 353 votes.


A parent of five children in RSU 19, Kelly Monk, said "It's sad because it's affecting the kids and it was not their fault."


Superintendent Gregory Potter said cuts are effective immediately, including the elimination of all JV and Middle school sports, after school bus programs, and six staff members will lose their jobs. 

Potter said, "I think there's a strong sentiment that the district needs to be held accountable for what occurred and I believe it is. All we can do at this point is continue to work."


One Palmyra resident, who voted "no" for the proposed loan, blames the deficit on the former superintendent. Faylene Webster, member of a committee against the loan, said "For them to blatantly come out and ask taxpayers for a $3.6 million loan, when if they were doing their homework right, this wouldn't have happened."


Parents said it's not only hurting the kids, but the community as a whole. Jim Ivory said, "Nobody's going to want to move here. What's going to draw people to the community? The defunct school system?"


The superintendent said they will cut $1.6 million during the remainder of the school year, and that has people looking at other options. 

"I’ve also explored other avenues as far as transferring kids to other area schools” said Monk. 


For a full list of proposed cuts, visit rsu19.org.
First, there's a prevailing attitude that the voters in RSU 19 are being stingy and hurting the district's children in order to save a $100 a year, per property taxpayer. And, that RSU 19 is vastly underfunded and one of lowest spending districts per pupil in the State. All of this is TOTALLY FALSE.
Have a look at this compare and contrast to another School District in Maine, a Public, Open Enrollment School district that is comparable in budget and number of students, but in no way, shape, or fashion comparable in results.
Falmouth FY 2011 Budget $24,605,875 Students: 2131
RSU 19 FY 2011 Budget $22,7xx,xxx Students: 2265
134 more students in RSU 19 and $1.9 million less in budget dollars, but that's still over $10,000 per student and slightly above the State average. No idea where RSU 19 gets their $7600 per student figure they put in their Fiscal Crisis Handbook.
Falmouth: Ranked 3rd in the State on the whole and just out of the top 1/3rd of the Nation's best 1,000 High Schools.
Falmouth ranked #2 out of 100 State wide for High school.
Nokomis ranked #93 out of 100 State wide for High School.
Sebasticook Valley Middle School: Ranked #95 out of 100.
Falmouth Middle School: Ranked #2 out of 100.
2012 # of Administrators RSU 19: 14
2012 # of Administrators Falmouth: 10
Sources: https://www.medms.maine.gov/medms_public/ReportPortal/Portal.aspx?CurrentLocation=
http://www.schooldigger.com/go/ME/districtrank.aspx
So, we're to believe that RSU 19 requires 4 more Administrative positions for a mere 134 additional students? We're to believe that the difference between the top of the heap and the bottom of the barrel is a mere $1.9 Million dollars?
Now, I understand that the children being raised in Falmouth have families with far greater resources than those in RSU 19. I get that. But, the budgets are the budgets and the results are the results.
So, property owners in RSU 19. Take heart knowing that you aren't stingy and that it's not your fault that this districts children are getting so little in the way of education for your money.
One last little thing I found very interesting in a document, buried in RSU 19's website. A hand book for dealing with budget time...
MARKETING YOUR DISTRICT’S BUDGET
Be patient with your publics. Remember, while they may not fully understand a school district’s budget, they always understand an increase in their taxes.
The district’s marketing program should also focus on civic groups, community groups, the community “power brokers,” news media, taxpayers’ organizations, and school improvement councils.
AVOID THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL AND FINANCIAL JARGON WHEN MAKING YOUR CASE.
Right, because we're all a bunch of idiots.
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