JAY – Regional School Unit 73 directors reviewed the proposed $18.9 million budget Tuesday, prompting a discussion on reducing the number of credits needed to graduate from high school to 23.5.

Currently students attending the north campus of Spruce Mountain High School in Jay need 24.5 credits and those at the south campus in Livermore Falls need 24.

The difference is a half-credit for students attending the Jay campus is a half-credit for a career essentials course. Some discussion centered on eliminating the half-credit for the course.

There was also discussion, positive and negative, about reducing the one credit for health currently needed at both campuses to a half-credit, which would bring the required graduation credits to 23.5.

Board Chairman Denise Rodzen of Livermore Falls questioned why the district would reduce graduation credits.

The state requires 16 credits for a student to graduate, Superintendent Robert Wall said. Students have health in several grades from sixth-grade and up, he said. He disagreed it was lowering standards.

“I think we need to look at how we use our time,” Wall said. Students need to be passing core classes for credits and not just electives, he said. It is important to remember in terms of courses offered that quality is better than the quantity, he said.

After some discussion, including the difficulty to fit all of what the state requires students to learn about health in one year, Wall said the administrative team would review it again.

Director Diane Gould of Livermore asked how much the district is saving by not continuing accreditation of schools.

It saves $4,765 in fees and dues a year, Business Manager Stacie Field said. The cost could come to $40,000 a year for each school going through the accreditation process, she said.

Gould said she was absent from the meeting the board voted not to continue to go through the accreditation process of schools with the New England Association of Schools & Colleges. All three schools in the RSU 36 district were accredited prior to consolidation and Jay High School was also accredited.

According to minutes of the Feb. 9 board meeting, Wall reported that the administration team met and recommended not to continue with the accreditation.

“He stated that this doesn’t mean that staff will not be continuing with self evaluation but they will continue to look at the way they are operating and what is working,” according to the minutes.

Livermore Elementary School Principal Robert Kahler indicated in the minutes that the staff at that school didn’t want it to be perceived they were giving up on the value of the process but they believe they have the staff and structure to continue the work the accreditation has begun.

“It was the general consensus of staff in each building this process is a great deal of work and that with everything currently that they are dealing with they feel they can better use their time in other productive ways,” the minutes state.

The next budget workshop will follow a Board of Directors meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at the Cedar Street Boardroom in Livermore Falls.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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