Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – The SAD 1 board of directors – much like everyone else in the state – is wondering what will happen next in Augusta as the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee is presently reviewing consolidation amendments. At the Jan. 16 board meeting, Superintendent Gehrig Johnson told directors that though the committee is meeting in an emergency legislative session, there’s still nothing in writing.
“We haven’t seen anything yet,” said Johnson. “The Maine School Management Association has sent us a brief summary of the amendments, but we’ve received nothing from the Department of Education.”
Johnson told directors that the district submitted an amendment that defines “geographic isolation” with the hope that – if approved – both SAD 1 and SAD 32 would be exempt from the school consolidation law.
“A school unit is geographically isolated when its geographical center point is located at least 20 miles by the most direct route of travel from the geographical center point of the nearest school administrative unit [SAU],” he said.
The geographical center point is defined as the most heavily traveled intersection of highways or roads in the most populous municipality within the SAU.
Johnson, who also serves as the superintendent for SAD 32, said the amendment was written for Ashland.
“I don’t know if it will make it in,” he said, “but it’s important to SAD 1 because if approved, SAD 32 would be granted geographic isolation status, and they will be exempt. If they are exempt, SAD 1 would be, too, because they’re the only school district that’s willing to partner with us.”
The superintendent said the next few days should be interesting as the committee would likely make decisions on the amendments.
“My personal opinion,” Johnson told directors, “is that this is a bad law that they’re trying to salvage.”
In other board news, Johnson also told the board that a drug search was recently done at Presque Isle High School.
“It was unannounced,” he said, “and involved three dogs, the State Police and the Presque Isle Police Department. It took about an hour and-a-half, and no drugs were found.
“When something like this occurs, it’s a scheduled lockdown meaning wherever people are is where they stay … no one leaves the room and teaching continues,” said Johnson. “Authorities searched the hallways, lockers and backpacks and found nothing.”
Similar searches may eventually be done at other schools, and may even extend to the parking lots.
“The district has a zero tolerance drug policy, and it’s important that the community knows that,” said Johnson. “Everyone was very cooperative, and there will be more of these. We want it to be part of our routine environment.”
Also at the January board meeting, directors:
• Approved changes to the district’s compulsory attendance policy. Ellen Schneider, curriculum director, said the changes made the policy “better organized.”
A new section was added to the policy. “Education disruption” resulting from homelessness, unplanned psychiatric hospitalization, unplanned hospitalization for medical emergency, foster care placement, youth development placement or some other out-of-district placement that is not otherwise authorized by either any individual education plan or a superintendent’s student transfer agreement is now considered an excusable absence.
“Education disruption” does not apply to a student who is out of school for 10 or more consecutive school days as a result of a planned absence for a reason such as a family event or a medical absence for planned hospitalization or recovery.
• Approved a 2-week leave of absence at the end of the schoolyear for Kevin Kinsey, elementary band teacher at Mapleton Elementary School and instrumental music teacher at Zippel Elementary School.
The next regular SAD 1 board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 at the board conference room at Presque Isle High School.
(Editor’s note: In a press release issued the day following the January SAD 1 board meeting, it was noted that the Legislature’s Education Committee had reviewed and agreed to the final language of the proposed revisions late Wednesday. See related story for details).
