FAQ - FTF | Futures Task Force

August 8, 2023

The Task Force is dedicated to their work, but they also acknowledge the emotional aspect that comes with consolidation and reconfiguration. They are committed to maintaining openness and engaging in transparent, honest, and healthy conversations. This approach is driven by their understanding of the impact these decisions have on the students and communities they serve.

Submitting a new school to state for all three elementary schools? This is something that has been considered. However, state funding will not reopen until 2024, where at that point any schools in need across the state will be asked to submit an application. After a rigorous and highly competitive decision, a district will be picked for allocation of funds. Should RSU 16 be chosen, it will be a very intense and detailed process that will take anywhere from 8-10 years until completion occurs. This includes the application phase, planning phase, execution phase, and construction phase under the hopes that all things go according to plans. This option also entails the need for RSU16 to apply with the intention of combining all three elementary schools into one, as being selected for the grant has significantly low odds when applying for only one school in a district to be built while also owning other aging buildings. Please note, RSU 16 did apply for such a grant back in 2017 for MCS only. The replacement of Minot Consolidated School was rated as 37 out of 71 during that cycle. Only 7 projects were funded during that cycle (3 for school construction in 2019, 2 in 2020 and 2 in 2022.) Edward Little High School was on the 2010-2011 Priority Funding list and the school is just being completed.

What does the $81 Million estimate for a new build include? The list for grant approval is extremely long and unfortunately there is no guarantee of allocation even if our district does get approved to be on it. However, that being said, estimates at this time are approximated as follows: 900 students x 150 sq.ft. per student x $600 per square foot project cost = $81,000,000. This cost represents a basic build only. Anything above and beyond that will be considered extra and will be required to be financed with local money only.

How much money would it cost if we keep all three buildings, staffed and fully funded?

These figures are to fix the schools, it does not include yearly budgeted operating costs.

Elm Street School: $3,353,250 (DOES NOT include heating)

Minot Consolidated School: $1,826,700 (DOES NOT include heating)

Poland Community School: $3,152,250 (DOES NOT include heating)

Whittier Middle School/Poland Regional High School: $1,901,250

Central Office: $246,750

TOTAL: $10,480,200 (DOES NOT include heating)

With previously proposed heating cost figure ($5,000,000): New TOTAL: $15,480,200

Staff them

Continue to pay negotiated salaries and benefits (approximately $1,000,000 increase each year)

Support schools to grow programs to meet student needs and curriculum needs: $400,000 each year (three new staff a year, plus programming/curriculum costs) Additional $1,400,000 each year (this does not include yearly increases in operating costs)

How many staff would we lose if we consolidate? Consolidate means combining ESS and MCS into one school and keeping PCS as is (Scenario 2).

The first phase of the consolidation process for Scenario 2 involves merging ESS and MCS into a single school while maintaining PCS as it currently exists. This will eliminate any redundant positions, which are the ones that were duplicated in all three elementary schools for the sake of equality. Redundant positions include: LPN nurse, Librarian Ed Tech, Restorative Room Ed Tech, Dean of Students, Principal, .5 Attendance Clerk/Admin Assistant. The savings would be $340,568.

With the merger of ESS and MCS, there are overlaps in other positions in which reductions (such as teaching positions) can occur. These are being examined. An example is reducing three teaching positions. Cost savings $240,000. MCS facilities cost may also decrease by approximately $300,000. These are being examined.

How many teacher reductions would we have if we keep two schools or all three schools and reconfigure (Scenario 3 or 4)?

Optimum Class Sizes

Kindergarten: 16 (range: 14 to 18)

Grade 1-3: 18 (range: 16 to 20)

Grades 4-6: 22 (range: 18 to 25)

August 8, 2023

How much money would it cost if we keep all three buildings, staffed and fully funded?

These figures are to fix the schools, it does not include yearly budgeted operating costs.

Elm Street School: $3,353,250 (DOES NOT include heating)

Minot Consolidated School: $1,826,700 (DOES NOT include heating)

Poland Community School: $3,152,250 (DOES NOT include heating)

Whittier Middle School/Poland Regional High School: $1,901,250

Central Office: $246,750

TOTAL: $10,480,200 (DOES NOT include heating)

With previously proposed heating cost figure ($5,000,000): New TOTAL: $15,480,200

Staff them

Continue to pay negotiated salaries and benefits (approximately $1,000,000 increase each year)

How many staff would we lose if we consolidate? Consolidate means combining ESS and MCS into one school and keeping PCS as is (Scenario 2).

How many teacher reductions would we have if we keep two schools or all three schools and reconfigure (Scenario 3 or 4)?

Optimum Class Sizes

Kindergarten: 16 (range: 14 to 18)

Grade 1-3: 18 (range: 16 to 20)

Grades 4-6: 22 (range: 18 to 25)

July 26, 2023

At our Staff and Community Collaborative, attendees were given an Exit Ticket to share any additional questions they had and request further information. They were also asked to narrow down the scenarios from 4 to 3 and provide a reason for their reduction choice.

Here are the results of the returned Exit Tickets. (Votes are just informational and are non-binding):

Scenario 1: Keep 3 hometown elementary schools - fund them, staff them and fix them (Votes to eliminate: 6)
Scenario 2: Reduce the number of PreK-6 elementary schools to 2: Combine ESS and MCS, keep PCS as is (fund them, staff them and fix them) (Votes to eliminate: 3)
Scenario 3: Reduce the number of PreK-6 elementary schools (fund them, staff them and fix them) to 2 AND reconfigure (example: PreK-2 school and 3-5 school), 6th grade to WMS (Votes to eliminate: 2)
Scenario 4: Keep 3 elementary schools - (fund them, staff them and fix them) AND reconfigure (example: PreK-1 school, 2-3 school and 4-5/6 school) (Votes to eliminate: 11)

Here are the answers to some of the questions posed by attendees. The Task Force continues to work on all submitted questions.

How much would it cost to repair each building?
At the time of this publication, John Hawley was meeting with EMC to better understand their estimates to fix the heating issues at all three elementary schools. The below costs DO NOT include heating (note: the May failed referendum was 5 million dollars for all three elementary schools).
Elm Street School: $3,353,250 (DOES NOT include heating)
Minot Consolidated School: $1,826,700 (DOES NOT include heating)
Poland Community School: $3,152,250 (DOES NOT include heating)
Whittier Middle School/Poland Regional High School: $1,901,250
Central Office: $246,750

Submitting a new school to state for all three elementary schools?
This is something that has been considered. However, state funding will not reopen until 2024 or 2025, where at that point any schools in need across the state will be asked to submit an application. After a rigorous and highly competitive decision, a district will be picked for allocation of funds. Should RSU 16 be chosen, it will be a very intense and detailed process that will take anywhere from 8-10 years until completion occurs. This includes the application phase, planning phase, execution phase, and construction phase under the hopes that all things go according to plans. This option also entails the need for RSU16 to apply with the intention of combining all three elementary schools into one, as being selected for the grant has significantly low odds when applying for only one school in a district to be built while also owning other aging buildings. Please note, RSU 16 did apply for such a grant back in 2017 for MCS only, we were placed 35th on the list of needs.

What does the $81 Million estimate for a new build include?
900 students x 150 sq.ft. per student x $600 per square foot project cost = $81,000,000

The numbers for Grade 2 at MCS are higher than PCS and ESS. Can we add another teacher to MCS next budget cycle?
No we cannot without adding 2 teachers to PCS and 1 teacher to ESS. If we add to MCS only we will be out of comparability. Moving forward, if we want to add a teacher to MCS, we must add two teachers to PCS and one teacher to ESS at the same time. This will cost approximately $320,000.

Scenario #2: How do we add square footage? Portables? Additions? How does this impact security/safety?
The options for adding square footage would be with new construction or adding modular structures. MCS does not have enough space to accommodate taking on more children. Maine State schools are recommended to provide approx. 140-160 sq. ft per pupil. At this time, MCS currently has approx. 151 sq. ft. per child with ESS having approx. 233 sq. ft. Expansion is possible but would require the town of Minot to offer up additional abutting property as most abutting property for MCS is owned by the Town and would require almost doubling the current building space to accommodate the absorption of ESS. ESS also faces the same issues only at a more restrictive level. There is significantly less property surrounding the school building itself which limits any expansion or additions being built. Code prevents any vertical construction, vertical additions to any of our buildings would require engineering studies, and land below the playground area is deemed to be flood zone and protected by MDEP Shoreland Zoning requirements and will prove to be a greater burden than asset should an attempt be made to utilize that area. If portables are added, safety would be an issue and need to be addressed with possible structural changes or renovations being made as students would then be required to physically exit the premises to enter the detached learning space unless the modular additions are designed to include secure hallway connectors to the main buildings.

What is three phase power and why do we need it?
Most electrical appliances used in homes and businesses run with alternating current (AC), which means the voltage supplied is pulsating, unlike the constant output of a battery (direct current, DC). In the USA, the voltage supplied by utility companies has a frequency of 60 Hertz, which means it cycles between positive and negative polarity 60 times per second.

Most AC power supplies can be classified into single-phase or three-phase, depending on the characteristics of the voltage supplied. As implied by its name, a three-phase system has three separate AC voltages, each with a frequency of 60 Hz. However, these voltages alternate between positive and negative in a sequence, not simultaneously, providing a constant power supply that is not possible with a single-phase system.

Single-phase power is normally used in residential applications, where loads are too small to justify the complexity of a three-phase system. However, the single-phase supplies for individual dwellings are normally derived from a larger-three phase system.

Cite: https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/why-do-we-use-three-phase-power

How much would it cost to get three phase power to MCS?
According to the reports published and supplied to RSU 16 previously by EMC, the cost from CMP to have three phase power brought in and installed at MCS would be substantial. This price is affected by the need to connect to the closest three phase power supply which is a little over two miles away (10,000 ft.) At a cost of $50/foot it would total approximately $500,000.

What is Title I?

Purpose of Title I: Title I provides supplemental federal funds to ensure all students have fair, equal, and significant opportunities to obtain a high-quality education and reach minimum proficiency on state academic achievement standards and assessments, with a focus on improving academic achievement of low-achieving students in schools with high concentrations of children from low-income families.

Our Title I program is funded by federal funds. Each year an application and performance report is submitted. The application describes how we will use allotted Title I funds for identified students and teachers and sets goals for student achievement and parent engagement. The performance report reports how each school did meeting goals set for Title I student achievement and Title I family engagement.

Poland Community School is a Targeted Program.

With targeted we:

Identify the most “at-risk” students for services;
Determine eligibility to receive Title I services
Resources are used for only “eligible” students
Program based on needs of “identified, eligible” students
Parents are notified of students’ Title I eligibility and intervention plan
“On-going” monitoring must be in place for identified students
Title I teachers and paraprofessionals must meet state certification requirements
Professional Development is focused on staff who provide direct support to Title I identified students and is aligned to these students’ needs
Provide supplemental instruction to identified students
Prioritize access to regular core instruction and “minimize the removal of children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction [ESSA Sec 11159(b)(2)(G)(ii)]”

Elm Street School is a Schoolwide Program.
With schoolwide:

All students can receive additional services
No student identification for eligibility
Resources used to improve instruction for all students promote school reform
The ESS CNA outline how both school and Title I resources will be used
No parent identification of additional services
“On-going” review of the CNA
All teachers and support staff must meet state certification requirements
Professional Development for all staff to support all students
Has a poverty rate of 40% or greater
Prioritize access to regular core instruction and “minimize the removal of children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction [ESSA Sec 11159(b)(2)(G)(ii)]”

What is Comparability?
Under Title I comparability, local educational agencies (LEAs) that receive Title I funds must ensure comparability of local/state resources between the Title I schools and the non-Title I schools by analyzing the teacher-to-student ratios and/or the per pupil cost.

MCS (a non-Title school), PCS (Title school), and ESS (Title school) are all the same grade spans (PreK-6) so the full-time local funded salaries and staff/student ratio are analyzed by the State.
Here is the information from March, when RSU 16 was notified we needed to take immediate corrective action or forfeit our Title funds.

As you can see, MCS is lower in Staff/Student Ratio and higher in Per Pupil Cost when compared to ESS and PCS.
The analysis does allow for a 10% buffer, so MCS Staff/Student Ratio with a 10% buffer is 11.97. Since ESS (11.40) is below 11.97 it meets comparability. However, PCS is still not comparable because 12.60 is above 11.97.

Since ESS has met comparability, we can stop comparing them to MCS, but PCS does not, so we compared Per Pupil Cost between MCS and PCS. The Per Pupil Cost difference in local RSU 16 budget spending per pupil is $883.16. This means as an RSU, we were locally spending $883.16 more on each student who went to MCS or $883.16 less on a child who attended PCS. With the 10% buffer in per pupil cost, MCS per pupil would be $4,549.76. PCS Per Pupil Cost is not higher than this, so they are still not comparable.

After our March meeting with the State to consider our options, we had to take immediate corrective action by moving one full-time position from Minot Consolidated School to Poland Community School to meet the comparability standards.

Can we predict or anticipate Title I status for grade spans? I.E. Would our K-2 population likely qualify for Title I?
School Title I qualification is based on four options: 1) free lunch counts, 2) free and reduced lunch counts, 3) Direct certification, or 4) Direct certification with a multiplier of the students in that building. RSU 16 analyzes all four of the options with both fall and spring data. We use #2 (free and reduced lunch counts) because that ensures qualification for ESS and PCS. (Note: MCS does not qualify with any of these options - if they did and ESS/PCS still qualified, RSU 16 would be using that option).

Do you have to qualify each year?
Remember Title I funding qualifications use the information from the free and reduced lunch forms from the previous year. HOWEVER, that could change next year because the school has to have low-income levels of 35% or 40% using data from those forms.

How many students could we provide services to with a reconfiguration? It is predicted that if we reconfigured, then we would qualify for targeted. (Note: yearly school qualification is always the first step). Each year all students are reviewed with a universal screener and an alternate ranking form submitted by each classroom teacher from the previous year (submitted in the Spring). A screener is used to identify the bottom 20% of grades K-3 and bottom 10% of grades 4-6. A diagnostic screener is then used to finalize identified students. Type of intervention needed and the quality of that service is considered. Schedules are created for services with the focus being on K-2 scheduled first. Grades 3-6 may be placed to receive Title services, all dependent on available time slots, highest need and ensuring all students have access to the core curriculum. Not all eligible students will receive services. (Please note: We do not receive enough Title I funds to cover program costs. We have to transfer Title II funds to Title I in order to maintain the programs).

What happens to kids that need Title I funds but the school does not qualify for it?
Title I is supplemental instruction. This means “in addition to” the core grade level curriculum. Even in schools that qualify for Title I funds, we do not receive enough funds to provide every qualified student with supplemental instruction. As a district we have prioritized early intervention, as research shows it is imperative to have students on grade level by grade 3. In RSU 16, when MCS did not qualify for Title funds, the local budget added an interventionist at MCS. This is where we got into trouble with comparability, because we gave additional local funding to one non-Title school and not the other two Title schools.

Is there a scenario where all elementary children receive Title I benefits?
Yes, there are two ways IF the free and reduced lunch forms of the previous year meet low-income levels. 1) If ESS and MCS combined then they would qualify to be a targeted Title I school. This means ESS would lose its schoolwide designation. 2) If we have two schools with different grade spans like a K-2 and 3-6. However, we prioritize early intervention, so depending upon the amount of available funds, we may choose to only service the K-2 school.

How much money does the Title I program get and use?
For the 2023-2024 school year: Title I: $414,692 (+$91,151.26 in Title II transfer to Title I) = $505,843.26 Our Title I (and Title II) funds pay for the salaries, benefits, and supplies of our Title I Literacy and Math teachers and provide professional development for our Title staff. Funds are also used for PreK-6 Parent Engagement activities with a focus on math and literacy. Title I funds are also used to support homeless students and pay a stipend for our required Homeless/McKinney Vento liaison (Jenny Rose).

Do we have to accept Title I funds? No, we do not. The cost of the program is approximately $500,000 which is primarily salaries and benefits. This means this cost would need to come into the local budget so we could continue to provide interventions.

Would we potentially provide Title services to just K-2 students because of the amount of money we'll receive and how we have to prioritize distributing it? We would prioritize K-2 in a reconfigured 2 school option IF both schools qualified. (Note: yearly school qualification is always the first step). It is important to note, we have always had to prioritize grade levels because of funds and schedules. (Example: Whittier has qualified for Title services; however we have prioritized early intervention).

What are the current numbers of how many students we can/are providing services to? At ESS every student can receive Title services. At PCS (and if MCS qualified) the bottom 20% of K-3 and bottom 10% of 4-6.

How many students are currently receiving Title services at ESS with school-wide? In school-wide at ESS, all students can receive services. ESS has worked hard to ensure we have a data-driven approach to providing interventions. Using our I-ready diagnostic, our Really Great Reading (RGR) screeners, and our Bridges screener, Early Mathematics Diagnostic Interview Tool (EMDI), ESS identifies students for Tiered interventions. Tier 2 interventions are usually delivered by our support staff in a 3:1, or 4:1 ratio (at times we have had groups of 5 but this does impact the efficacy of the intervention when the groups get bigger). Tier 3 interventions are most commonly 1:1, but have at times been 1:2. These are typically delivered by our Intervention Teachers as these are the students showing the greatest amount of need. ESS has also found that at times, they need to do whole class interventions in targeted skill areas using both Bridges and Really Great Reading. We utilize our intervention staff to co-teach these or to assist with small group rotations. In this model, our whole school title can be serving entire classrooms for a period of time. If forced to assign a percentage, which does fluctuate based on the type of intervention and the cycle, ESS’s Intervention team can be working with over half of our students at any given time. This year, ESS has found that our grade 1 students primarily have some strong skills coming into this year and we provide them less service, but ESS is focusing a lot of our services on Grades 4 and 5 as they continue to struggle to meet grade level expectations in both reading and math.

How many students are currently receiving Title services at PCS with targeted? At PCS: Kindergarten: 10 students in reading and 10 in math, Grade 1: 12 students in reading and 12 in math, Grade 2: 11 students students in reading and 11 students in math, Grade 3: 6 students in reading and 6 students in math

How many students at MCS used to receive Title services when they were eligible? At that point, was it a targeted or school-wide program? MCS has always been targeted. 20 students were served for math and 22 were served for literacy. Note: that students may “graduate” from Title when they meet grade level requirements and new students are picked up.

How many students in K-2 are we currently providing Title services to? At ESS it varies because they are school-wide. At PCS: Kindergarten: 10 students in reading and 10 in math, Grade 1: 12 students in reading and 12 in math, Grade 2: 11 students students in reading and 11 students in math.

How many students in 3-6 are we currently providing Title services to? At ESS it varies because they are school-wide. At PCS: Grade 3: 6 students in reading and 6 students in math

The numbers per class for Grade 2 at MCS are higher than PCS and ESS. Can we add another teacher to just MCS next budget cycle for when these kids go to Grade 3? (MCS 23 students in one class, PCS and ESS 14 students per class.) No we cannot without adding 2 teachers to PCS and 1 teacher to ESS. If we add to MCS only we will be out of comparability. Moving forward, if we want to add a teacher to MCS, we must add two teachers to PCS and one teacher to ESS at the same time. This will cost approximately $320,000 for salaries and benefits.

SCHOOL FUNDING QUESTIONS

How does the State of Maine fund education?
The State utilizes a very complex formula to determine how much each town needs to provide basic education to students. The formula is known as Essential Programs and Services (EPS). The State funds the largest portion of the EPS and expects the local governments (towns and cities) to raise the balance through taxation.

What is EPS?
Essential Programs and Services is designed to ensure that all schools have the programs and resources that are essential for all students to have an equitable opportunity to achieve Maine's Learning Results.

What is the State formula?
This is not a simple answer. The State has to factor multiple components that are unique to each community but include and are not limited to a population’s ability to pay (family income levels), property values, populations, student enrollment, facilities, transportation needs and so on.

What is a cost-sharing formula?
A cost-sharing formula is an agreement between participating school district communities on how the share of the additional money raised above EPS is distributed. RSU 16 uses a cost-sharing formula that is based on property value assessments and enrollment (number of students from each town). The formula is based on 90% property assessments and 10% enrollment figures.

Why do we have a cost-sharing formula?The State requires each school district to have the cost-sharing formula. The cost-sharing formula is the best way for RSU communities to mutually and legally agree to share the additional expense.

How was the cost-sharing formula determined?
Almost all of the consolidated school districts needed to use an undisputed and measurable way to factor the sharing formulas. The State’s assessed property values and local student populations were values that were easily obtained, consistent, and public knowledge. When Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland became a Regional School Unit in 2009, there was a committee of nine people (three from each town) that determined the cost-sharing formula.

TRANSPORTATION QUESTIONS

How many routes did RSU 16 have in 2022-2023?
11 High School/Middle School, 12 Elementary, 3 In-District Special Education, 1 Out of District Bus, 1 Out of District Van.

How many routes does RSU 16 have in 2023-2024?
12 High School/Middle School, 12 Elementary, 3 In-District Special Education, 1 Out of District Bus, 5 Out of District Van, 1 LRTC Bus

How many current openings in Transportation?
As of November 7, RSU 16 has an opening for one bus driver.

How many robo calls did RSU 16 have in 2022-2023 to cancel bus routes?
90. Highest Cancellation Frequences: 4 HS/MS routes were canceled between 5 and 7 times. 9 Elementary routes were canceled between 5 and 9 times. Note: Every route was canceled at least one time.

If the Board elects to reconfigure into two elementary schools, what will predicted bus times be for children on those routes?
We are currently working on “mock” bus routes for the 2 school scenario.
“Mock” Routes will be available on November 21 and presented to the Board at the proposed November 27 School Board meeting or scheduled November 27 Sub-Committee meetings.
“Mock” routes will look like the August published bus routes - with address and time of pick up shown.
“Mock” routes may include:
1) Staggered start/end times of elementary schools: Bus run #1: MS and HS, Bus run #2: Elementary School A and Bus run #3: Elementary School B.
2) Buses drop students off at the PreK-2 school and then the 3-6 school. For example: if you have a student at the PreK-2 school and 3-6 school. Both students would be picked up at the same time by the same bus, then each student would be dropped off at their respective school.
3) Buses overlapping each other. For example, if you have a PreK-2 student and a 3-6 student, two different buses would be picking students up within a time frame at their bus stop. An example, your PreK-2 child is picked up at the bus stop then within 10 minutes your 3-6 students are picked up by a different bus.

Does RSU 16 have a policy regarding Student Transportation?
Yes, it is policy EEAC-R

What is the estimated cost of adding a third bus run?
There are financial implications to running a third bus route including increased fuel cost, increased driver cost, and wear and tear on buses. The approximate cost of a third bus run would be $267,000 annually.

ADULT EDUCATION QUESTIONS

What are the Adult Ed. Hours of operation?
5-week Summer Session, July 11th- August 10th: Tue 9am-1pm, Wed 9am-1pm, Thurs 9am-1pm & Wednesday 6-8pm. School Year: Monday through Thursday 9am-3pm and Wednesday 5:30-8:30pm. Classes or sessions offered by subject matter experts for community enrichment are also offered on various evenings throughout the year.

What does the adult ed building consist of?
Learning Center Space (within 4 former full-size classroom spaces) consists of

2.5 Classroom/Computer Lab/Enrichment/Tutoring Spaces
3 Office spaces (Director, Admin Assistant/copier & supplies, Advisor)
1 small testing room
Kitchenette (microwave, toaster oven, dorm fridge)
Bathroom

Does Adult Ed need its own classrooms? Or can it share with daytime school classes, having kids attend class during the day, and then Adult Ed use the same classrooms at night?
They do need their own classrooms. As referenced in the schedule above, Adult Education is primarily a daytime program, so they are in session when PreK-12 is at school. They are open four days a week and one evening for core, academic students. This schedule is based on attendance data and trends over the years. Community enrichment classes (exercise, safety, crafting…) are offered during evening hours and occasional weekends as arranged with instructors and have more flexibility. Adult Education is designed to meet specific needs of students, ages high school through adult, offering alternatives for high school completion, college preparation, career advising, adult literacy, workforce training, enrichment classes and other partner collaborations. We, as a district, want to make sure all of our students feel comfortable and included and have a relevant workspace they can all thrive in and call their own to the greatest extent possible. In order for Adult Education to function most efficiently and in the best interest of students, they need a daytime space that is separate from prek-12 programming - whether that is a separate building or simply a separate entrance. We are currently assessing what the best options are for all involved.

If you would like to see the current Adult Education Learning Center configuration at Elm Street School, please email Jenny Rose at jrose@rsu16.org. She would be happy to show you around!

Can we mesh Adult Ed into a current facility to reduce financial and physical footprint?
Since 2011, Adult Education has been included in a wing of ESS with its own entrance. Prior to that they were in the Mechanic Falls Town Office building where the Library is currently. If ESS becomes the PreK-2 school, then every square foot of space will be needed. Because of this, Adult Ed will need to be relocated to a facility that can provide a separate entrance and separation from daytime PreK-12 students. Additional locations are being researched extensively and all options are being considered, such as using a new location/building entirely, leasing property, or redesigning space in a vacant building if an elementary school is consolidated. No definite answers have been decided. As we consider this relocation, we are also researching the impact that various locations may have on our Adult Education students, including walk-ability, being located within the high school, etc. Preliminary feedback from former and current students does indicate that placing Adult Education within the high school may pose a barrier, or reluctance for students to attend, and that being in a dedicated space in an alternate location contributed significantly to the success of them completing high school.

Can we get a new building for Adult Education?
Adult Ed would require a new location to allow space for the additional elementary students in this scenario. RSU 16 obtained a quote for a 4 classroom modular to house Adult Education from Schiavi on 10/5/23. They estimated a cost of $757,250 for the modular. Necessary site work was estimated to cost approximately $153,000 by Task Force Member, Bob Klar. This brings the estimated total cost of a modular addition for Adult Education to $910,250. This assumes that RSU 16 will be able to place the modular on existing property (such as PCS or Central Office). This location has not been determined.

BUDGET QUESTIONS

What has been RSU 16’s overall budget amount through the years?

Cost of Repairs 3 school option
According to the assessment conducted by AEI in September 2023, to catch up on deferred maintenance and continue to repair and maintain MCS, PCS, and ESS, it would cost approximately $10,250 to cover immediate needs, $1,302,197 within the next year, and $6,843,101 within the next ten years. The approximate ten year total would be $8,155,548. This figure includes an estimated $321,100 for heating, cooling, and ventilation. The estimated cost of the comprehensive heating, ventilation, and efficiency upgrades proposed by EMC is $7,437,120 for all three elementary schools. If the RSU chose to move forward with that additional project rather than addressing heating, cooling, and ventilation through the plan proposed by AEI, it would bring the approximate ten year total to $15,271,568 for the three elementary schools. RSU 16 will continue to seek out licensed and qualified HVAC contractors to provide additional feedback on the cost of heating and ventilation. RSU 16 has also begun the application process for the Revolving Renovation Fund. This grant could offset a significant portion of these costs (potentially 61.98% of certain qualifying projects). Please see the Task Force Website for more information about the Revolving Renovation Grant.
(Source: EMC Estimate 9/25/23, AEI Summary Report, School Revolving Renovation Fund info Sheet)

Cost of Repairs 2 school reconfigured option
According to the assessment conducted by AEI in September 2023, to catch up on deferred maintenance and continue to repair and maintain PCS and ESS, it would cost approximately $8,550 to cover immediate needs, $1,265,732 within the next year, and $5,606,895 within the next ten years. The approximate ten year total would be $6,881,177. This figure includes an estimated $297,900 for heating, cooling, and ventilation. The estimated cost of the comprehensive heating, ventilation, and efficiency upgrades proposed by EMC is $4,967,000 for PCS and ESS. If the RSU chose to move forward with that additional project rather than addressing heating, cooling, and ventilation through the plan proposed by AEI, it would bring the approximate ten year total to $11,848,177 for PCS and ESS. These figures do not include any repairs that need to be done at MCS to accommodate any potential administrative, storage, or transportation operations that may be conducted in the building, if closed. RSU 16 will continue to seek out licensed and qualified HVAC contractors to provide additional feedback on the cost of heating and ventilation. RSU 16 has also begun the application process for the Revolving Renovation Fund. This grant could offset a significant portion of these costs (potentially 61.98% of certain qualifying projects). Please see the Task Force Website for more information about the Revolving Renovation Grant.
(Source: EMC Estimate 9/25/23, AEI Summary Report, School Revolving Renovation Fund info Sheet)

Through initial reductions $855,917 would be in savings, that reduces MCS expense to $2,341,748. This means those expenses would move to ESS or PCS so that is $1,170,874 increases to both ESS and PCS (best estimates with current data available)

Why such a difference between AEI and EMC's assessment of the Minot boiler?
When AEI was hired it was for a different purpose than what EMC was hired to do. EMC was tasked with doing a deep dive into what the overall predicted failures were going to be in our HVAC system in its entirety. That not only included the boilers themselves, but it also included all of the now 70+ years old infrastructure (electrical lines, water lines, pumps, etc). AEI was tasked with assisting us to update our CIP plan by reevaluating the components that were looked at back in 2011 and giving us an updated overview of the life expectancy, based on industry standards, of these components and what their replacement costs might be. We could have; however, asked them to do the same exercise we asked of EMC, but after speaking with AEI post assessment, that cost would have been significantly higher because specialist engineers would have been brought in for that different scope of work.

In a worst case scenario, what increases will the taxpayers see and hear as you go through the process of developing a budget for next school year?
Worst case scenario is a $6 million dollar increase over last year.
This includes: $1 million in contractual obligations (salaries and benefits), $500K because last year we used $1.5 million in carryover funds and we will not have that amount for next budget, $400K in rising costs of fuel, utilities, etc, $400K in new positions and programs to support student needs, $2 million in CIP, and $2 million for HVAC project. (Also note, that our October student counts are down 52 students).

STUDENT AND STAFFING QUESTIONS

What are the student enrollments at PCS, MCS and ESS from 2011-2012 through present day?

What is the largest PCS student population?
According to found data, 480 students in 2013-2014.

How would common planning time work if reconfiguring grade levels? There are only 4 specials. What if there are 6 of a grade?
Common planning time refers to designated periods during which teachers can collaborate, discuss curriculum, share ideas, and align their instructional strategies. The Building Leadership Team and Principal would ultimately create the time which may look differently than it does now.
Here are some ideas on how it could work:
Establish Grade Clusters: Depending on the number of teachers in each grade, you may need to create grade clusters. For example, if there are six teachers for a grade, they could be split into two clusters of three teachers each. Each cluster can work collaboratively during common planning time.
Rotate Planning Schedules: To ensure fairness and equitable planning time for all teachers, implement a rotating schedule. For instance, one week, Cluster A collaborates during common planning time, while Cluster B continues with regular class activities. The following week, they switch.
Extended Common Planning Time: On early release Wednesdays (teachers no longer have to travel to another school to meet with grade level colleagues), extend the common planning time to allow for more in-depth discussions and collaboration among teachers. With the extra time available, teachers can engage in detailed curriculum planning, share best practices, and develop strategies to support student learning.
Cross-Grade Level Collaboration: With the reduced time constraints on early release days, encourage cross-grade level collaboration. Teachers from different grades can come together to discuss continuity in curriculum, alignment of learning objectives, and smooth transitions for students as they move from one grade to another.

How many staff would we lose if we consolidate?
The 3 school option would prevent the potential of redundancies caused by consolidation. However, it is unknown whether budgetary impacts of repairing and maintaining 3 schools would compel staff reductions. It will cost an additional $800,000- $1,000,000 annually to support the current contractual salaries and benefits through 2027. Additionally, RSU 16 anticipates another $400,000 per year in administrative budget requests to continue to meet student needs.
(Source: RSU 16 Budget Documents, Task Force FAQ, RSU 16 Assistant Superintendent)

With the 2 school reconfigured option there would be opportunities to reduce staffing costs in this scenario. These include a potential annual savings of $342,000 on redundant administrative and support positions at ESS and MCS and $600,000 on 8 classroom teacher positions (assuming an average salary and benefit package of $75,000), for an annual total of $942,000. The approximate ten year savings could amount to $9,420,000. If RSU 16 chose not to reduce teachers in order to maintain smaller class sizes, these savings might not occur in full and modulars may need to be procured to accommodate those additional classrooms.
(Source: Functional Capacity Subgroup Analysis, Task Force Staffing FAQ, RSU 16 Operations Director, RSU 16 Budget Documents)

What are optimum class sizes?
Optimum Class Sizes
Kindergarten: 16 (range: 14 to 18)
Grade 1-3: 18 (range: 16 to 20)
Grades 4-6: 22 (range: 18 to 25)
Chapter 206: Staffing, including student-teacher ratios that permit maximum student-teacher ratios of 25:1 school-wide for kindergarten to grade 8

What are our 23-24 class sizes?
According to current available data, the average class sizes are: PCS-16, MCS-15, ESS-15.

What would class sizes be in the 2 school reconfigured option?
Using current data, the projected class sizes at ESS (grades PreK-2) would be an average of 17 and at PCS (grades 3-6) would be an average of 19.

Futures Task Force FAQ

SCHOOL FUNDING QUESTIONS

TRANSPORTATION QUESTIONS

ADULT EDUCATION QUESTIONS

BUDGET QUESTIONS

STUDENT AND STAFFING QUESTIONS

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