letter to the editor

Wake up Wiscasset! What is happening to your schools?

Tue, 03/21/2017 - 11:15am

Dear Editor:

Over the years, the Wiscasset school system has always had strong, exceptional and outstanding teachers who develop first-rate programs. However, recent administrations have sold you a bill of goods and seem to be taking your schools down the wrong road. I understand they now plan further devastation of the Design, Engineering & Technology Education area.

Remember, you, the community, were told by interim administration that closing the elementary school would have "no impacts.” Not true. Last year they misappropriated the Drafting & Design room and tried to cram its stations into the corner of another facility. Now, they want to sever one of the Technology labs into three more classrooms, gutting a twice state and national award-winning program’s facility. What’s wrong with this picture as Lincoln Academy builds a new four-lab state-of-the-art facility and Boothbay has re-opened its Technology/Industrial Education Program?

I want to thank all of you in Wiscasset for 34 years of support. Wherever I traveled — to state, New England or national conferences — I was proud to say I taught in the Wiscasset school system; it was the envy of many others.

These hands-on, minds-on programs we continue to lose are extremely tough to replace. They require space, tools, equipment, machinery and qualified teachers. Over the years, various administrations have cut deeply into offerings at WHS. You’ve lost a three-lab Business Department, you’ve lost a two-lab Home & Family program and the list of losses at WHS continues on with the Design, Engineering and Technology facility, which is the original STEM lab. Administrations will rationalize the losses … then leave within two to three years, leaving their “mark” on your schools and a mess for your teachers to clean up. Are they aware of several proposed bills before the legislature regarding Engineering, Technology, Design, along with LD 412, an act to make courses in Home & Family and Industrials Arts Education (now Design, Engineering & Technology) much needed graduation requirements?

Please Wiscasset, wake up, save what is left of your schools, become active and vocal. Attend meetings where decisions are being made which will have lasting impact on our kids.

Rob Cronk

Southport