It certainly has been an interesting fall season. Health issues such as H1N1 and EEE have dominated the headlines and caused anxiety for parents and educators alike. Yet, in our schools, the business of educating kids keeps rolling along. One of the goals I have set for myself is to get out of the office and into our schools on a regular basis – something that is more easily said than done. Specifically, I am attempting to visit at least one school each day, and each school at least once each week. As I make these visits, I enjoy stopping by classrooms and seeing our teachers and students engaged in meaningful learning activities – it is a great reminder of the importance of our work. It also gives me a chance to continue meeting the hundreds of staff members who are dedicated to giving the students their best efforts every day. We have an impressive staff, and I am proud to be working alongside such a great group of educators.
With the November 3 vote right around the corner, we have been receiving calls for information about several of the ballot questions. We have tried to respond to these inquiries by providing as much factual information as possible without espousing personal views – certainly a difficult balance. I would encourage each voter to seek as much information as possible to lead to a thoughtful decision on each question. The State of Maine website can provide you with the sample questions and links to various resources (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming.html). As the wording on the questions can be a bit tricky, seeing them before stepping into the polling place may minimize some of the confusion voters often face.
Much like last year, school districts throughout Maine will likely be hit with a curtailment during the 2009-2010 year. A curtailment is imposed upon us by the State, resulting in a reduction in our General Purpose Aid (GPA) that comes to each school district from the statewide tax fund. A curtailment is particularly harmful to schools, as each district’s budget is approved in the spring and includes the GPA figure given to us by the state at that point. When the state imposes a curtailment we must adjust our budget in mid-year, when the revenue is already largely committed. The administration has been anticipating this curtailment – predicting that we will lose approximately $900,000 in GPA – and has been working to identify potential reductions. At the same time we are beginning the planning work for next year’s budget, anticipating that the state may further reduce our GPA by as much as $1.5M. Clearly, these are challenging times. We will continue to strive to provide for our students the best education we can afford, realizing that what we can afford may be less than it has been in the past. Our budget deliberations will take place in public session throughout the winter and spring. Please check our website for a listing of dates and locations as the year progresses.
Thanks for checking in. Your interest and support is greatly needed and appreciated.
