Wiscasset Superintendent of Schools Kim Andersson told the school committee Oct. 8, she got back seven of the surveys sent to families of students who'd left Wiscasset Middle High School. Andersson said the results showed one moved out of town; two "were not satisfied or did not receive the support services they needed"; and four "were not satisfied with the safety of the school district." 

Andersson got back four surveys from families of Wiscasset Elementary School students who left. She said two students moved, one of whom who had had "a bad experience at school"; one student changed schools after a divorce; and the fourth family "was not satisfied with the safety of their child."

Andersson called exit surveys a really valuable tool for schools that want to improve. The survey followed a suggestion from committee member Jonathan Barnes. 

Andersson said she will review the results, including families' comments, with building administrators, who will learn from them "as best they can."

The department will continue to survey the families of students who leave, she added. On a resident's request to also track when students return, Andersson said yes. As happens each year, some of those who left are back, she added.

The meeting in the WMHS library was the committee’s first to be live-streamed on Wiscasset School Department’s YouTube channel instead of Zoom. View the recording under the channel’s “live” tab. 
Also Oct. 8, Andersson and others said some things help students more than “teaching to the test” would. 

The topic surfaced as the committee heard from WES Assistant Principal and Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Coordinator Danielle Harris about federal aid and monitoring its use.

Local officials said the state, which gets the federal funds to the schools, was audited, and is now keeping closer tabs on districts’ use of them. 

WMHS science teacher Shari Templeton said a hyper focus on decoding words would not ensure students get what they have read. She encouraged teaching with context such as social studies and science. Without that, she said, “They might read very fluently, and have absolutely no clue … Students will never learn if they’re not engaged," she explained.

Andersson concurred, saying education needs to serve “the whole child. I would quit my job before I would (support) just teaching to the test. I would not lead a school where we’re focused on the state assessment. That cannot be what it’s about. We are creating young American men and women. We’re turning them out in society and if we only focus on passing a NWEA (Northwest Educational Assessment) test, we’ve failed.”

Training personnel in behavior support is part of meeting students' needs, she and Harris said in response to audience questions. 

“If we don’t manage (a student's) behaviors, we’re not going to be able to get to the classroom instruction,” Harris said.

In other business, a committee is eying improvements to the WMHS gym. “There’s a lot of ideas, opinions … to sift through, but it was a very spirited discussion and there’s a lot of excitement,” Maintenance and Transportation Director John Merry told the school committee about the new committee’s first meeting.

The basketball coaches would like wider lines, he said. “There’s a lot of little details that mean a lot to people and that we’re going to try to incorporate.” Merry said Boosters President Desiree Bailey had a lot of input. “She has created a lot of spirit with her group, on campus,” he added. “Very good, keep it up. There is a difference. I can see it.” In the meeting and his written report, Merry said he has contacted vendors about the gym project. According to Merry’s exchange with School Committee Chair Jason Putnam, the floor and bleachers are part of the discussion, and Merry hopes after the project the committee will stay together and help with planning districtwide.

Responding to email questions, Andersson told Wiscasset Newspaper Oct. 15, the gym project's planning is still early on,  "but my intention is to use some of the school’s fund balance for the lion’s share of this project. With school committee approval, a gym floor and bleacher capital improvement account will be created from the school's fund balance. That would need to be authorized by Wiscasset voters on the June ballot as we did for the paving in 2024 and the elevator in 2023. Our floor has been so well-maintained and cared for over the years, but time takes its toll. There are spots where the wood is actually no longer level. The solution is a new floor, and we need to take care of this before an athlete or a student during PE (physical education) class gets hurt." She said the bleachers "are so old we can no longer find replacement hardware or parts when they need maintenance. In some cases, we have manufactured our own hardware to fix certain parts. So it is time, for the general safety and well-being of our school community, to do this project."