MECHANIC FALLS — The lack of language classes for Regional School Unit 16 elementary and middle school students and a proposal to add a district business manager drew criticism at a school budget hearing Tuesday night.
School Committee Chairwoman Mary Martin told the approximately two dozen residents that the committee is still drafting the budget, which stands at $20.6 million.
“Your input is important,” she said. “Feedback from the community meetings will be taken back to the School Committee.”
Resident Susan Lea, upon hearing that there are no foreign languages being taught below the high school level, said she was appalled, and doubly so upon learning that at Poland Regional High School only Spanish is taught.
“I am shocked,” Lea said, suggesting the School Committee should seriously consider teaching Spanish to Whittier Middle School students.
In surrounding high schools, typically Spanish, French and Latin are taught, Superintendent Tina Meserve said.
Adding Spanish to the middle school curriculum was the School Committee’s “next highest priority” and it would very likely be on the top of the requests in another year, she said.
The cost is estimated at between $50,000 and $90,000.
Resident Bernice Fraser was critical of the proposal to add a business manager to the central office staff at a cost of $85,000.
“Why not put the question of hiring a business manager on the ballot for a separate vote to see if people are in favor of it?” Fraser asked.
Meserve, backed by several committee members, said the process for approving the school budget doesn’t allow for line items to be voted on separately. School Committee members have the responsibility of setting priorities.
Meserve said the committee made hiring a business manager a first-tier priority.
The committee surveyed 11 nearby school districts similar in size to RSU 16 and found that all of them have business managers.
School Committee member Mary Ella Jones said the committee’s vision for the district has been hampered by Meserve and Assistant Superintendent Kim Brandt having to spend too much time dealing with issues more appropriately handled by a business manager and for which they are not trained.
“We had a business manager until three or four years ago and when he left, as a cost-saving measure, we thought we would try to work without one,” Jones said. “It isn’t working well.”
School officials will hold budget hearings Wednesday, April 29, at Poland Community School, and Thursday, April 30, at Minot Consolidated School, both at 6 p.m.
The School Committee will meet Monday, May 11, to approve a budget. It will go to a districtwide hearing and vote on May 21, followed by a validation referendum June 9.
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