Notice of public forum

The Mount Desert Island Schools' Reorganization Planning Committee has scheduled a meeting to take public comment and answer questions about the RPC's plan to reorganize the administration of schools in the MDI region.

"We very much want to hear from our constituents at this point, before the plan is finalized," said Gail Marshall, the RPC's chair.  "So far our towns have always strongly supported our schools.  We want to keep it that way."

The MDI RPC's school and municipal representatives, who along with local legislators, were instrumental in getting the original school consolidation law changed to allow reorganizing school districts statewide to model themselves after MDI, expect the schools within the new school system to function much as they do at present.

"On MDI, we are fortunate to have a locally-supported school system that already exemplifies many of the collaborative administrative functions that the Governor wanted to effect through reorganization," said Brian Hubbell, vice-chair of the RPC.  "So, it's important that people understand that in this reorganization plan we're now able to retain all the local connections to our schools that we so strongly value and fought for.  But, at the same time, this plan will allow schools in the MDI area to continue to collaborate, evolve, and efficiently share administrative functions in order to maintain the educational qualities and opportunities that this region is proud of."

After the public forum, the RPC expects to finalize the reorganization plan and pass it along to the local school boards for their individual approval.  If approved by the school boards and the Department of Education, the plan will go to local voters for approval in November.

The draft of the reorganization plan, along with more information about the RPC, can be found on line at: http://mdischools.net/RPC.html

The public forum will be held on Wednesday, August 6 at 7:00 PM in the library at the Mount Desert Island High School.