Futures Task Force

July 5, 2023

The Futures Task Force does not have a full meeting this week. Small groups meetings and individual work continues.

The Futures Task Force is inviting RSU 16 community members and staff to share ideas and collaborate on July 12, 2023 from 6:00-7:30PM at Whittier Middle School. Together, let’s brainstorm, inspire, and take action.

This email serves as a reminder that the Futures Task Force continues to work in small groups or individually on:

• School visits to PRHS, WMS and PCS to hear and see maintenance issues from Building Principal, Elementary Maintenance Supervisor and Operations Director (school visits to MCS and ESS were completed in May)
• Public Relations/Communication plan to regularly inform taxpayers with transparency, honesty, and a call to action
• Analyzing data and information shared regarding projected class sizes, per pupil spending and demographics, documents from EMC, transportation routes and Driveline usage, multi-year Capital Improvement Plan, RSU 16 budget 2016-present, operations of plant cost for MCS
• Sub-Groups and Task Groups for: 1) Geothermal, 2) Elementary Educational Opportunities RSU 16 does not offer, 3) Functional Capacity Group to calculate the capacity of ESS, 4) design a survey for community members, and 5) plan the Staff/Community Collaborative 
• Justifying pros and cons with data for each of the four scenarios to address: Teacher shortage - difficulty filling open positions with fully certified teachers, Class sizes are inequitable across the three elementary schools, Transportation/Driver shortage - canceled bus routes, Increase in salaries due to contract negotiations, Aging buildings (including our “newest” 23-year old HS/MS), Title I services and Title I comparability, Rising cost of everything, Needs of our students
• To access the survey, please click on the following link: https://forms.gle/e678TubHgqjJCgxm9

Notes from the Functional Capacity Sub-Group: On June 29th, the square footage of spaces within MCS and ESS were measured. Kaitlynn Brown highlighted the areas on the floor plan that students currently require access to, while Jess Madsen labeled her current spaces and their utilization. The team compared class sizes and discussed combining ESS/MCS, analyzing the MCS heat failure emergency plan and a well-developed MCS/ESS non-emergency combination plan. To determine feasibility, the team discussed four scenarios for adding more students to the ESS building. They plan to compile the square footages in a spreadsheet and assess the functional capacity of the discussed scenarios. Finally, the team will present their progress and share the updated ESS/MCS square footage with the Operations Committee. PCS square footage assessment will be completed this week.

Next meeting is July 12.  It is the Staff and Community Collaborative!

Task Force membership: Todd Sanders, Amy Hediger, Erik Anderson, Shawn Vincent, Jessica Madsen, Kaitlynn Brown, Brandi Comeau, Jenny Rose, Jo St Peter, John Hawley, Jacque Russo, Jennifer Gagnon, D'Arcy Robinson, Steve Robinson, Brittany Hemond, Robert Klar, Terri Arsenault, Randy Lautz, Angela Swenson, Elizabeth Martin, Emily Rinchich, Mary Martin.