LIVERMORE — RSU 73 Superintendent Robert Wall launched the first of several community forums Tuesday night aimed at gathering information on how to improve the education for students.
About 50 people attended and returned a 15-question survey that will be used to build a new educational program so all students will be successful. Anyone who would like to submit a survey may pick one up at any of the schools or from the Central Office. Replies must be returned before Oct. 15.
The second of at least five forums is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Jay Elementary School.
Wall pointed out that a significant percentage of students in grades three to eight are not proficient in math, reading or writing, yet most are promoted to the next level because promotion is based on grades. He said the time for assisting students to meet the educational standards goal is in the lower grades, not when they reach the secondary grades.
During the previous school year, 15 students were retained — four at Jay Elementary School, six at Livermore Elementary School, and five at Spruce Mountain Middle School in Jay.
The forums will end by March when the RSU 73 school board will make recommendations that are hoped to increase the number of students who become proficient in the common core of educational standards.
Wall emphasized that RSU 73 is far from alone in the number of students who do not meet proficiency.
He said that if the district continues to use the same methods for teaching students, the results will be the same.
“Many ways of operating are preserved because they are culturally valued,” he said, quoting from several educational theorists. “The more everyone learns what everyone else believes and wants, the easier it is to address concerns, come to a consensus and build conditions for change.”
Although no specific changes are currently in operation in any of the district’s four schools, some ideas have surfaced for possible consideration.
Among them are reconfiguring the two elementary schools so students in the primary grades attend one school and the older youngsters attend another. Another idea suggested increasing the school year by 20 days from 175 to 195 for those students who are not meeting standards.
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