Find a solution to keep Andover school open

To the Editor:

MSAD #44 school board members recently voted to close Andover Elementary School unless Andover citizens are willing to pay an additional assessment of $214,000 over and above the $480,000 already assessed to the town.

Their justification for this is declining student numbers, yet the superintendent continues to allow some Andover children to attend other schools rather than keeping them in the school of the town in which they reside. School population figures would show a different

picture if this practice was stopped.

If parents want their children to go to another school, they should be paying, not the town.

Andover students have shown they are getting an excellent education, meeting and exceeding the scores of other students from other towns in the district. Closing our school would not only hurt our children, but also adversely affect the whole community of Andover.

This move has raised many unanswered questions. Why is Andover being assessed the additional $214,000? What will this money be used for? Will your school be next? Is this the beginning of a move that will ultimately result in a huge new school that will house all district elementary students, thus resulting in huge debt to the district?

I urge all district citizens to vote the upcoming school budget down until these questions can be answered and I used all Andover citizens to become involved in the effort to find a solution which will keep our school open.

Whether you have children in school or not, the ultimate fate of the school will affect you, not only as a taxpayer but also in keeping our community alive and thriving. Without children, there is no future. We can't let this happen.

Please vote the proposed budget down and join with us in working for the future of the children and "all" towns in the district.

Judy Tabb,

Andover