The Community School District (CSD) moved forward on creating a new subcommittee during a meeting Aug. 12. The School Committee gave Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler approval to formalize an official Future of the Schools group under district leadership.   

Currently, an unofficial Future of the Schools group exists in the Boothbay area. Kahler is a member, serving on a subcommittee focusing on the status quo. Two other subcommittees focus on tuition and regionalization. Members also include concerned citizens as well as town and elected officials. As reported in the Register, the community group recently drafted initial findings recommending “...a significant renovation and addition..."  to the current high school, or "...building a new high school."    

Kahler said it is time for an official committee under the CSD School Committee and Board of Trustees. "(The process) should not be led by community members, and it cannot be led by them. It really needs to be led by the school committee.”  

However, Kahler and the board said conversations should include members of other districts as well as community members.   

The board also gave Kahler approval to discuss regionalization and consolidation options with neighboring school districts, including Wiscasset. The top issue was regarding Maine Department of Education funding for a consolidated grades 9-16 pilot project. The state wants to create a new regional high school integrated with a career and technical school, the UMaine system, the Maine Community College System, and which also supports industry training programs.   

While apprehensive about the amount of work needed for the Oct. 31 application deadline, the board was generally supportive of applying.  However, Kahler tempered optimism with a reminder that the Maine Department of Education ranked the CSD 53rd out of 95 in their Major Capital School Construction Program Proposed Priority List.  

“I'd just as soon throw our hat in the ring,” said board member Tom Perkins.  

However, even if the application were successful, the board recognized concrete progress is years away. Kahler said it would be a while before they are even able to determine a location, and “each of the committees has to be comfortable that a high school may or may not be in their town.”  

In addition, not all neighboring districts have expressed interest, including Edgecomb. Board members said it could be a challenge to transport students off the peninsula, through Edgecomb, to a regional school on the mainland.   

“In the meantime, we need to figure out how to keep kids in our schools safe, because (regionalization) could take years,” said board member Jenessa Garrett.    

“While we explore options, the schools continue to degrade. I'm worried about keeping doors open forever,” board member Tori Paxson said, also noting the millions of dollars in inflation and other cost increases while they wait.   

In related business, the board gave Kahler approval to investigate a possible new program director position for place-based learning. Kahler said the position would be funded by a gift for the next two years through Education Boothbay, but that funding has not been secured.   

He said the position would be akin to a community navigator. It would provide outreach and collaboration between local businesses, scientific organizations and other groups to simultaneously provide students with credits and real-world job experience.   

“I think you can see the potential benefits of that are through the roof,” he told the Register. “The issue is capacity and time. There's been a coordinator for that position, but it's always been someone who's taught and done other things, so there's not a lot of time. We literally need someone that this is their focus.”