RSU 10 position cuts questioned

To the Editor:

It was somewhat appalling and disappointing that three educational technician positions at Meroby School were eliminated in the recent round of budget cuts.

It was unprofessionally carried out in that they learned of this either on Facebook or in the morning paper. The educational technicians have a combined total of 46 years at Meroby.

Not only do they reach and reteach reading and math, but they also cover morning and lunch recess, and Wednesday morning late start childcare. They also discipline, cheer on and console your children as well as incorporate manners, respect, responsibility and safety in their daily interactions.

Thanks, in part to these educational technicians, Meroby students showed an 11-30 point increase in math scores from fall to spring. A fourth educational technician has been eliminated through resignation and a special ed teacher through retirement. In all, Meroby has lost five teaching positions.

How will those cuts affect your children as the academic demands made on children in reading and math continue to escalate? Instead of cutting people, perhaps "things" could have been cut first. While our RSU 10 consolidation motto "Becoming One" sounds wonderful, is it being carried out?

The Mountain Valley region continues to lose staff while other regions continue to hire since consolidation. The Dirigo region hired 14 educational technicians while the Mountain Valley region hired six and Hartford-Sumner hired five.

Why has the assistant principal position at MVMS been changed from a fulltime position to a stipend position for a teacher currently on staff, while DES retains their assistant principal position (the only elementary school in the RSU to have one) "because it works?"

Through transfer, retirement and attrition, Mountain Valley has lost a minimum of 10 educational technician positions before this round of budget cuts. Some Dirigo people have the perception that our schools in the Mountain Valley region have not seen any personnel cuts. The truth is that DES is not losing a single position this year; DHS added a half-time math teacher and a half-time English teacher, and MVHS lost a half-time foreign language and a half-time math teacher.

As taxpayers and parents, we need to question other cuts that could have been made (i.e. school supplies, administrative cell phone plans and central office overstaffing). Are decisions being made and implemented that benefit your child's education and well-being?

We should be unified and dedicated to saving education for all children in our RSU communities.

Mountain Valley Ed Techs