Informational meeting explains the workings of AOS 43 to municipal leaders

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    LAGRANGE — Several years ago SAD 41 entered into an Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) with SAD 31 in the Howland area. In the time since officials with AOS 43 member municipalities have had some questions on the newer structure, and these were the subject of a meeting on Nov. 18 at the Marion C. Cook School.

    “Our goals for tonight’s meeting is to create some awareness of the AOS and what it entails, and to open up the communication,” said AOS 43 Superintendent Michael Wright, who oversees the school unit as well as both SAD 41 and 31. Wright told those in attendance, including municipal officials, school board members, school administrators and others, that the AOS brings together the superintendent’s office, business office and central office services of the two school districts. AOS 43 also involves a sharing of special education and transportation services between SAD 41 and 31.
    Wright explained when school systems across the state consolidated, many districts entered into an RSU agreement (with some of these districts today trying to leave the RSU). He said under an RSU “you combine debts and assets,” giving an example of a gym in East Sullivan also falling under the jurisdiction of the Ellsworth school system in this RSU arrangement.
    “They also merged into a different board,” Wright said, as the previous two schools board became one to oversee the entire RSU and some communities in such a system may feel they have lost some or all of their voice in the decision-making process.
    “With an AOS the boards are still intact, so you have the same control you did before,” he said. Both SAD 41 and 31 have individual school boards, and members of each are also on the AOS 43 board of directors to oversee this unit.
    Wright said since the start of AOS 43, which began for the 2011-12 academic year, SAD 31 has gone from having an approximate $1.5 million deficit to a $500,000 surplus fund balance. In SAD 41 the district now offers a pre-K program, Carleton Project and Academy Program and has undergone a district-wide realignment.
    “What else do we do with the AOS?,” Wright said. “We try to do a lot of things to tie the two districts together.” He explained administrative meetings involve officials from both SAD 41 and 31, and they are able to get together at the centrally-located school building in LaGrange.
    “Here when we meet we talk all about instruction,” Wright said. “This wasn’t a requirement in the AOS plan but I think it’s been one of the best things for us.” He added that initiatives such as instructional leadership, common curriculum, teacher standards, student standards, principal development, professional development and philosophy have all been worked on under the AOS umbrella.
    Wright said in his 38 years in education he has “seen a lot of things come and go and I have been cynical about a lot of things. I’m going to tell you this: What we are doing now has a chance to do something different.” He mentioned some conversations on classroom instruction are taking place for the first time.
    In advance of the meeting, town officials prepared a list of questions for Wright — selectmen from Brownville and Milo got together for a work session prior to Nov. 18 — and one inquired about the assistant superintendent’s position in AOS 43. He said there would be one superintendent under the AOS agreement but another employee of the AOS or member school units can attend meetings in place of the superintendent.
    He said several years ago the curriculum coordinator in SAD 31 left the district and at the time SAD 41’s Special Education Coordinator Stacy Shorey came forward with an interest in adding this position.
    “We started to talk about all the things we have to do and want to and need to do,” Wright said, also saying a look was taken at other school district administrative structures. He said at a cost of about $5,000, split between SAD 41 and 31, the assistant superintendent position was added to Shorey’s duties as today she serves in this capacity as well as director of curriculum/instruction/assessment.
    Wright added that a large portion of Shorey’s salary is funded by grants, as she manages grant programs for AOS 43 and the school districts.
    Referring to a handout on estimated costs savings, Wright said a $112,000 cost for the superintendent’s office, $60,000 for the business manager and $25,000 for the curriculum coordinator are all split between SAD 41 and 31. He said if the school districts were each to go on their own the estimated additional costs would be $130,000.
    This $130,000 combined with $30,000 for additional health insurance expenses, $20,000 for an additional half position and $10,000 in other current savings through the AOS, equals a savings of approximately $190,000 through AOS 43.
    “We have two districts, we have 10 towns and there are eight schools,” Wright said about what the superintendent and three boards of directors oversee. Between the entire AOS there are 262 employees and about 1,300 students, with 139 employed by SAD 41, 113 by SAD 31 and 10 by AOS 43. He said the superintendent’s job entails overseeing financial, educational, managerial and vision/planning for the district.
    Mentioning some of the challenges, Wright said, “Over the next 10 years it looks like enrollment in SAD 41 will stay pretty consistent. In SAD 31 it’s a different story. There is projected to be a big decrease, particularly at the secondary level.”
    “In SAD 41 we have a real challenge with our facilities,” he said. Wright mentioned how the Penquis Valley School complex is showing signs of its age and Milo Elementary is “busting at the seams” with its enrollment numbers.
    Facilities studies are being conducted at the two SAD 41 schools. “We don’t want to put money into something if it’s not the right thing to do,” Wright said.
    During a question-and-answer session, Wright was asked about the possibility of the two districts merging in the years to come. “Those of course would be things people would have to vote on,” Wright said.
    He said before his time, conversations were held on the possibility of SAD 41 and 31 joining together under a new secondary school with this facility perhaps being located in LaGrange. “These are some of the things we need to talk about,” Wright said as all long-range options are considered moving forward. “I think we need to continue and talk to plan for the future.”
    Another question asked about having the SAD 41 referendum being held on the same date as the municipal elections — a figure of $600 was estimated to be the cost for Brownville to hold a special election on the school budget. Wright said in the past additional funding sources have been located prior to holding the SAD 41 referendum in late June, but officials can try to have their spending plan ready to coincide with a municipal ballot in earlier in the month.
    Selectmen talked about increasing communication between the schools and towns, which can then help the municipal officials answer questions from the public on education. Discussion also suggested having more meetings similar to the Nov. 18 session, perhaps holding these on a somewhat regular basis.