As we all know, this “great recession” is putting enormous pressure on public education — laying off teachers, pushing classroom sizes well above 20 students, and maybe even losing programs. The hurt runs deep because it affects our kids, who count on us to give them a good start as they enter a perilous job market or consider college, if they can afford it.

I’d like to add a positive note: The situation will improve. I don’t know when, but I do know that many national economic statistics are favorable and that our state government is reporting a very modest uptick in revenue.

What does that mean for public education? I think we shouldn’t get so caught up in severe budget cuts this year and next that we lose sight of the not-too-distant future. When I covered the Pentagon for Business Week magazine, I appreciated how the massive spending bureaucracy planned five years ahead as part of each annual budget. We don’t need to be that regimented about it, but at RSU 16 (Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland), we’re going to take a systematic look at how we want our schools to evolve when the money starts flowing back to public education, as it inevitably will.

Parents, taxpayers, students and teachers of RSU 16 will have the opportunity to meet March 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Poland Regional High School to talk about next year’s budget — and beyond.

Dave Griffiths, Mechanic Falls

Chairman, RSU 16 School Committee