News

Parents Rally to Defend Russell School
By Chuck Mahaleris

Gray- Some are lobbying their School Board members. Some are analyzing budget recommendations for additional savings. Others are drafting petitions. Parents of Russell School students are not going quietly into that good night. Superintendent Michael Wood has proposed consolidating the three elementary schools in MSAD 15 into two. The Russell School will be the elementary school given up in the reorganization and it will become home to, among other things, the special education office and a day treatment program.

Ellen Beale, Principal at Russell School, wrote her Masters thesis on school consolidations, not realizing she had written a plan she would have to implement for herself. She is supportive of the decision, though, if no other option is possible. "I think that our district is in the worst financial position I have seen it in," she said. "It's the worst dilemma I've ever seen …I will help lead the transition to the new location but my position will be eliminated. It's very radical in this community to close a school." She went on to say: "The staff is dealing very well with the news. They don't share it with the students but some think it isn't going to happen and others are sure it will."

One parent said, "We went to a Saturday night meeting and they had their minds already made up. Things had already been set in motion,"one parent said on Monday afternoon while picking up her daughter at Russell Elementary School. "Mr. Wood didn't have the support of the community.
On that Saturday meeting we found we could cut a million dollars. It's very frustrating to the people who went to that meeting to help with the budget. He wasted a lot of peoples' time that weekend." She is preparing a petition to present to School Board members in the hopes of convincing them not to close Gray's only elementary school.

Another parent said: "Hopefully it won't happen. I'm hopeful that they haven't made a final decision between Russell and Memorial School." She said she would contact a friend of hers who sits on the school board and lobby her position.

Kevin Hanscombe has a son in the second grade and does not like the idea of bussing him to Dunn School in New Gloucester. "I'd be interested to see how many parents will pull their child out and homeschool them. I've lived in other communities and have seen stuff like this before. I question whether there will be any real long-term savings or if this is a band-aid -a temporary solution to the problem." He was also concerned about closing the school when it appears to him that the town continues to grow and the school will be needed. Wood has said that growth projections for the next several years do not indicate a need for the school.

Another parent accused the school's top administrator of cooking the books. "He's moving numbers," she said. "I went over the numbers for six hours and he's moving numbers. He wants this building for administrative offices and he is going to get it."

Brenda Sawyer said she wants her children in the same school but will have one in Memorial (which will serve K-2) and one in Dunn (which will serve grades 3-5). "I'm very disappointed," Sawyer said and offered that she may consider homeschooling her two children if Wood's proposal is adopted by the board and approved by voters in June.

One dad said: "I hope they don't (move Russell students to other schools). I think there is a nice little sense of community here."

Julie Stevens believes that other options would be better. "I think it's a shame. If everyone digs deep we can find resources to keep the school open."

"He's balancying his budget on the backs of the littlest," said parent Sheila Myhaver. "Russell School isn't going to close. Michael Wood is going to get exactly what he wants- administrative offices." Myhaver said that her son already is on a school bus for 50 minutes from her home in West Gray to Russell School and doubts Wood's contention that the students can be transported from all over Gray to Memorial or Dunn in under an hour.

One Russell School teacher said: "It's very disconcerting to say the least. I believe the school is a hallmark of the town. To spread the students to another town is a very sad situation. I've known many wonderful families here. The thought of a town not having an elementary school is very distressing."

Karen Vincent, the school secretary since September, will also lose her position with the reorganization. "It would be sad to lose the school," she said. "I've only been here a short time and I'll probably lose my job. It's a family school. I'd love to stay."

Arlene Cellers, one of the teachers, said: "This school means a lot to a lot of people. The kids love the school. I personally think this is a great community school and would hate to see it close. It will hurt property values in town and I am concerned about class size and overcrowding at Dunn School."