Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – After more than a year and-a-half of debate and discussion – and a community referendum – SAD 1’s school reorganization alternative plan, to stand alone, was approved Thursday by Department of Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron. “We’re pleased that she agreed with us in the end,” said SAD 1 Superintendent Gehrig Johnson. “It was a battle of the wills that lasted well over a year, but she eventually agreed with our position.”
The School Administrative Reorganization law, which was enacted June 7, 2007, set forth state policy to ensure that schools be organized as units in order to provide equitable educational opportunities, rigorous academic programs, and uniformity in delivering programs.
“Under the provisions of the law that existed then,” said Johnson, “we were eligible to apply for an alternative plan, which was to stand alone. The commissioner denied our alternative plan based on her wish that we try to merge SAD 1 and SAD 32 together. She really wanted us to merge because I am the superintendent of both districts.
“We formed a regional school unit (RSU) committee last spring and started exploring the possibility. We had several meetings, came up with a plan, and the school boards approved the submittal of the plan to the commissioner,” he said. “The plan then went to a referendum vote Nov. 4 and was heavily defeated in every community. We then contacted the commissioner and told her the results of the vote, and we filed the same alternative plan again which was just approved.”
In a Jan. 8 letter to Johnson, Gendron said she and members of her staff “have completed the review of your plan, and have determined that it is consistent with the policy objectives and parameters set forth in the reorganization law.”
“It includes all required plan elements and adequate supporting documentation; therefore, I have determined that your plan is complete and in compliance with the law,” she wrote. “I appreciate the great effort that went into preparing your alternative plan, and I wish you continued success as you implement the elements set forth in this plan.”
Johnson said the commissioner’s approval is significant because the district is no longer threatened by a possible $365,000 per year penalty.
“The penalty has been lifted, and now SAD 1 remains in its present form and moves forward,” he said. “If you think of what would have changed … our whole identity as a school system was at stake. Our school board would have dissolved, our boundaries completely changed, and our identity – including our school colors and mascot – would be something different than it is now. We’d really be starting a school system from zero again, and all of our traditions would begin again. That would have been a huge change.”
Lucy Richard, SAD 1 board chair, said the district is still willing to work with other school systems to combine resources and save money.
“We feel that we’ve been very proactive about getting relationships built with other schools, and we will continue to do that,” said Richard. “With mutual agreements, we get further than having things forced upon us. We will continue to look for ways to cut costs by working with other school districts.”
Though SAD 1’s alternative plan has been OK’d by the commissioner, new difficulties face the district.
“This chapter is behind us,” said Johnson, “but we’re certainly not without challenges. Immediately facing us is a funding freeze, which for this district would be to the tune of about $800,000 that we wouldn’t be receiving from the state. That will be a huge challenge for us, but at least we won’t have the penalty looming over us, as well.”
