LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 directors have asked Jay school officials to meet with them to discuss Jay’s offer to have Livermore and Livermore Falls middle school students go to Jay Middle School.
On Thursday, SAD 36 Superintendent Terry Despres reviewed a letter he sent to Jay School Superintendent Robert Wall last week with the directors. The board had worked with Despres to develop a rough draft of the letter during a board retreat Sept. 16.
In a Sept. 1 letter, Wall told Despres there would be room at Jay Middle School for SAD 36’s middle school students, if the district were interested in sending its students there in the future.
Jay’s student population has been declining over the last several years, like many school systems in the state, Wall wrote. Jay had 833 students enrolled as of Aug. 31, according to the school Web site.
SAD 36’s student population has remained steady, Despres has said, with 1,043 students enrolled.
The Jay Middle School, which is modern and up-to-date, could serve more than 500 students, Wall wrote.
The Jay Middle School had 275 students in grades five through eight, 199 of those students in grades six to eight, as of Sept. 1. Livermore Falls Middle School had a population of 276 students in grades six through eight, as of Sept. 8, and 90 fifth-graders were at the Livermore Elementary School.
Despres’ response, dated Sept. 16, which he read at the SAD 36 directors’ meeting last week, requested a copy of Jay’s 2005-06 budget. Jay has a $10.5 million 2005-2006 school spending plan and SAD 36 has an $8.3 million 2005-06 budget, including adult education.
Despres and the school board also suggested in the letter that the two school systems examine the following topics:
Advance placement program, fine arts program, alternative education, technology, program development and curriculum, gifted and talented, professional development, busing and transportation, special education/day treatment, early college experience, vocational education and grant writing.
During the board meeting, Despres mentioned that there are a couple of grant opportunities that the two systems might want to seek jointly.
“It is clear that many opportunities are available since our communities are so closely linked in distance and relationships. It would, in my opinion, be of great advantage for our three communities to seek efficient cost-saving operations through facility utilization,” Despres said in his letter. “We believe that a more comprehensive educational program could be made available at a lower cost per student than currently experienced.”
“In closing, Bob, I know that this is a bold move with many potential issues. I believe, however, that with good vision and process, we can find many ways including facilities to meet these goals,” Despres wrote.
According to the latest data posted on the Maine Department of Education’s Web site, the 2002-2003 per pupil operating cost in Jay was $9,314. In SAD 36, it was $6,886.
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