SAD 17 Directors Embrace 'Cluster School Concept'

by Duke Harrington
     
     OXFORD — SAD 17 directors voted unanimously Monday to endorse “in concept” a new model for administration of the district's eight elementary schools.
     
     Known as a “cluster model,” the plan calls for cutting back the number of elementary school principals from eight to three, while adding two assistant principals, for a net cut of three administrative positions.
     
     Currently, SAD 17 maintains an elementary school in each district town, a policy that's “non-negotiable,” according to Superintendent Dr. Mark Eastman. At present, each building has its own principal, while the three largest, in Norway, Oxford and Paris, have assistants. That makes 11 elementary administrators in all. The state's Essential Programs and Services funding model only allows SAD 17 six such jobs, based on enrollment.
     
     Under the new model, a “central cluster” of schools (in Norway, Harrison and Waterford) and a “northern cluster” (Paris, West Paris and Hebron) would each be served by a single principal, with two assistants. The “southern cluster” (Oxford and Otisfield) would have one principal and one assistant.
     
     Eastman said the cutback to eight administrators will save the district roughly $250,000. The plan also calls for busing fifth and sixth graders from Waterford, Otisfield and West Paris to larger schools in neighboring towns. That will allow the district to moderate class sizes and save another $500,000 in staffing cuts. Uneven enrollment in the eight towns has meant class sizes ranging from as few as 7 to as high as 25.
     
     Eastman said the district may have some challenges drawing up new bus routes in Waterford, but added that buses in West Paris and Otisfield pass schools in Paris and Oxford every day on the way to the district bus garage.
     
     “So, we can move those students and it won't cost the district a nickel,” said Eastman.
     
     Because West Paris' Agnes Gray Elementary has room to serve K-4, the move of Grades 5-6 to Paris Elementary would let SAD 17 close West Paris' second building, the American Legion school, which currently houses Grades K-1.
     
     Eastman said after Monday's meeting that he does not envision selling the Legion school, in case there is a future need, such as if a resurgent economy prompts a return to the current administrative model. Instead, he said the district will look into renting the site to a day care provider, or similar service.
     
     The change is driven by an expected $2 million cut in SAD 17's state subsidy for FY '11. Given the usual annual hikes in so-called “fixed costs, such as salaries, insurance rates and fuel, Eastman says SAD 17 may have to cut as much as $2.6 million from its next budget, due to voters in June.
     
     Other expected cuts, according to Eastman, include $230,000 to facilities and maintenance, $65,000 to extra-curricular activities, $37,000 from technology purchases, $50,000 from health services, $150,000 from central office administration and as much as $800,000 from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School.
     
     Eastman will now take the cluster concept “on the road.” A public meeting was held in Waterford on Wednesday, with additional meetings scheduled at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, at Agnes Gray Elementary and at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 11, at Waterford Memorial Elementary.
     
     The school board will not conduct a vote to formally adopt the cluster model until Eastman returns with parental and staff feedback from those meetings.