Discussions have begun concerning a combined Wells-Ogunquit Community School District and Regional School Unit 21 high school, and though many unknowns remain, the prevailing attitudes in these towns make one take pause, and even doubt whether such a project could really be successful.
We would caution both school boards to tread lightly with this issue.
On the surface it’s easy to say, yes, both school districts are considering major renovations and a combined high school would allow them to share costs and have a better facility. We also don’t doubt that combining the resources of five towns would most likely provide for a state-of-the -art facility that would serve students well.
However, in the current circumstances of vehement disagreement, it’s hard to believe that a high school combining all five of these communities will lead to anything but discord.
The combined district of Wells and Ogunquit has been seeking to separate for more than 10 years, long before RSUs came along via state mandate, citing unfair sharing of school expenses between the two towns. Legislation has been filed in the past to allow them to break ties, though it has always failed.
Now RSU 21 ”“ the result of a mandated consolidation of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport’s School Administrative District 71 and the Arundel school district ”“ is in the same boat, with detractors recently delighting in legislation that will allow them to pursue ending the RSU relationship earlier than expected.
With calls from all sides to pull out of RSU 21, coming most loudly from Arundel residents who are now the small fish in a big pond, the district is arguably in distress. Even neighbors within Arundel have been pitted against one another, with lines now crossing through the town, dividing those who are happy with the RSU and those who want nothing more than to pull out of it and become autonomous again.
It will take quite a unique contract to deal with all five municipalities and include contingencies for withdrawal. Cost sharing, which has been a contentious issue in both districts, will prove to be a battle among five towns, no doubt, as will the makeup of the school board. All of those details will need to be ironed out, and a decision on whether to consolidate or not will need to be made soon, since RSU 21 already has plans in place for a $35 million renovation that are slated to go before voters this fall.
Architects have already been commissioned, a high school building committee has been in place for months, and multiple public forums have been held concerning the extensive renovation plans at Kennebunk High School. The school district is quite far along in the process, at the point now where little more is needed than voter approval of a bond to actually pay for the work. From a technical standpoint, it seems a bit late to start preliminary talks with Wells-Ogunquit. It remains to be seen if RSU 21 voters will be willing to wait even longer for high school improvements while the plans are revamped to include Wells and Ogunquit.
All that aside, even if RSU 21 did want to put off their plans and modify them considerably to add on space for Wells and Ogunquit high school students at the KHS site, we doubt the communities would support the project.
Small towns like the ones in consideration have a strong connection to their identity and to independence, which is evident in Arundel’s opposition to the RSU. In the nearby Massabesic school district, which combines six rural towns, there is still much discord concerning Waterboro’s stronger pull on the school budget due to their larger numbers of voters.
Though small schools are largely becoming a thing of the past, most Mainers would rather see their children in a “place where everybody knows your name” than in a 1,400-student high school, and they want their vote to count. The staff cuts will also be hard for people to swallow in these small communities where teachers often feel like extended family.
A combined high school would certainly offer students some benefits, but in these communities, it’s going to be a very tough sell.
Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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