Dear parents and residents,
  About 50 residents, parents, educators, and school board members attended the SESS (Saving Excellence in Scarborough Schools) Thursday, Dec. 10, to launch a community-wide discussion about what Scarborough’s educational priorities should be in the coming year. As you know, the state is threatening to cut more than $1 million in Scarborough’s education allocation, and unless we do some soul searching and speak out, we risk a deepening decline in the quality of our schools. Parents, students, and teachers made the following points during the two-hour meeting:

• There is little parent/community involvement in our schools today. This results from “busy/working parent” syndrome, the assumption that schools are doing well and don’t need community involvement, and a failure on the part of administrators to actively involve residents in educational initiatives that go beyond bottle-drives, field trips and crafts projects. Much more use could be made from skilled volunteers in tutoring/supporting students, curriculum development, and helping teachers/schools apply for grants/funding that would introduce innovative programs to reach students who are not served by existing programs. More community involvement would produce more support for school funding.
• The high school’s technology serves neither students nor educators. One student complained she could not conduct research to finish assignments at school because of the controls placed on Internet access. Teachers also complained about similar accessibility problems.
• Limited computer access: While laptops are provided to middle school students, they are not provided to high school students. As a result, students who don’t have the economic advantage of owning a laptop or having easy access to computers must compete for one of the few available computers in school.
• Inadequate course offerings: Students and teachers commented on the limited course offerings and enrollment available at the high school. In some cases, seniors who wanted to take a new foreign language after completing three years of French or Spanish, could not because enrollment was limited and preference was given to underclassmen who needed the three required years of foreign language. While other school systems offer Chinese and other languages, Scarborough’s language offerings are limited.
• Education under-valued: Scarborough teachers, who are among the lowest paid in Cumberland County, have worked without a contract for months. Meanwhile, Scarborough firefighters are getting a 3% raise in late June, 2010, and police officers (who are among the highest paid in Cumberland County) will receive a 6% pay raise as of July 1, 2010. Many indicated that education and public safety should be equally valued in Scarborough.

Parents indicated they were unaware of the declining education quality of Scarborough’s schools, and expressed alarm that the system could suffer additional weakening if residents stayed home and allowed the budget cuts to schools to occur.

Residents pointed out that there was little known about Scarborough school programs, in terms of deciding what programs worked and which did not.

To address those concerns, SESS is pushing for school-specific meeting at a primary school, Wentworth, the middle school, and at the high school, so parents, teachers and administrators can together review each school’s curriculum and instructional programs. These information meetings could be used to evaluate programs, help identify strengths and weaknesses, and identify what should be safeguarded in the budget and what should be improved or discontinued.

However, SESS needs your help. This is what you can do:

• Call and e-mail school board members and town councilors about your concerns. In future newsletters, we will be providing email addresses and phone numbers for all public officials.
• Come and share your ideas, experiences and concerns at local school meetings. Let SESS know if you are willing to participate on a school-level to help organize such a meeting and even serve on a parent-school council. Email SESS a note and indicate what school you would like to be involved with.
• Call, email, and talk to neighbors about what they can do to safeguard Scarborough’s schools.
• Respond to a survey. After the holidays, SESS will be circulating a survey asking everyone to comment on the quality of education in Scarborough, and prioritize funding goals for the community. Look for this soon in your email.

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail SESS at sess@maine.rr.com, and visit our website at http://sessscarborough.wikispaces.com.
 
FYI: Other communities are also re-examining their educational priorities because of budget cuts. Portland recently held a two-day conference, attended by 100 participants, to conduct a similar soul-searching to see what its priorities should be in this time of budget upheaval. These are the nine recommendations the community collaborative produced in a vision statement:

• Public education is a long-term investment in productive citizens.
• Schools are safe, welcoming and respectful community learning centers.
• Students’ success depends on strong community partnerships, including families.
• Education starts at birth and should include preschool.
• Success in the global marketplace demands 21st-century skills and technology.
• All school employees are responsible for making sure that every student learns.
• All students should experience rigor, relevance and relationships in their education.
• All students should have equal access to quality education and facilities.
• All students should graduate and be ready for college or careers.

“You’ve given me concrete, valuable feedback to move forward,” Superintendent Jim Morse told participants at the end of Portland’s conference, according to a report in the Portland Press Herald. “We will maintain accountability to this vision.”