Asking the people: Wiscasset School Committee mulls questionnaire
When Wiscasset property owners get their next tax bills, they may also get some questions from the school committee.
The panel on May 29 discussed the idea of a questionnaire on school consolidation, and possibly the related issue of whether parents should get to choose the schools their children attend.
Multi-million-dollar decisions are going to be made, member Sharon Nichols said. “And I think the people need to make those decisions.”
Members made no final decision on whether to create the questionnaire or on what it would ask. Interim Superintendent Wayne Dorr cautioned against asking residents which school or schools to close, until the committee has more information to share on the options.
Otherwise, he said, “You'd have an uninformed decision. That's the worst kind of decision.”
Dorr and committee members brought up several points they said need to be considered in closing a building, including what to do with it afterward and the possible changes to school buildings that would take the added grades.
“We shouldn't underestimate the difficulty of closing a school,” Vice Chairman Steve Smith said.
Member Eugene Stover suggested the committee start out by looking at the matter as transferring classes, not closing a building.
Tax bills will likely go out near the end of September, Town Clerk Christine Wolfe said May 30.
If the committee does decide to do a questionnaire, including it in the mailing with tax bills would require approval by the board of selectmen, Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish said.
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