Welcome to Regional School Unit 13
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SUPERINTENDENT’S COLUMN
The proposed school budget was passed at the District Budget meeting on May 28th and defeated at the written ballot vote on June 11 by a vote of 332 against and 320 in favor. I’ll start by saying that a budget defeat by 12 votes with such a tiny turnout does not represent a mandate for anything. I’m sure some voted against it due to increased taxes, some because we cut teaching positions and some staff probably were against it because of the salary step freezes. With less than 5% of voters participating, you really can’t conclude much. And the voting audience in July and August could be quite smaller and quite different than the voting public in May and June.
The budget in RSU 13 has failed by a vote of 332 to 320.
Rockland voted it down 93 to 46.
South Thomaston voted it down 21 to 11.
Owls Head favors the school budget 37 to 24.
Cushing voters supported the budget 30 to 24.
Thomaston favored the budget 161 to 114.
St. George voted it down 56 to 35.
The Board will meet on June 20th to discuss options and again the next Thursday, June 27th to vote on a final revised budget. The district budget meeting will be held on July 24th with another written budget referendum within 30 days after that- around mid-August. If the budget is defeated again, the process starts over again with another budget proposed by the Board within 45 days of the written vote.
I’m hoping that this next budget vote garners more voters and more support than the last. Rockland had only 139 voters out of nearly 5,000 registered voters. Thomaston saw more than 270 voters while Cushing had 54 voters turn out. It is indeed difficult to gather attention to a summer school budget vote but we hope that people can do their civic duty and vote on the next budget at the District Budget Meeting on July 24th and the written ballot referendum in August. The students and staff of RSU #13 would like to begin the next school year with a budget in place- your support is appreciated!
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RSU 13 Mathematics Program Audit
Report Release Spring 2013
In the 2012 school year, and as RSU 13 entered its third year of consolidation, evidence of inconsistent mathematics achievement continued to be seen across the district’s schools and grade spans. Data trends suggested that evidence of successful mathematics learning was more evident for elementary grades, with successive proficiency drops occurring in the mid-level grades and continuing into high school. This audit sought to study and validate these trends, and to identify salient factors contributing to acknowledged strengths and weaknesses.
This program audit, involving multiple methods of study and investigation, began in the winter of 2012 and continued until spring of 2013. Joint study design and co-authorship involving both RSU 13 personnel and the Great Schools Partnership offered the opportunity to include an independent agency in this collaborative review. An independent view is valued as critical in forming a realistic characterization of the strengths and challenges that will inform continuing efforts for improved mathematics teaching and learning in RSU 13.
The results of this program audit will now be utilized for further professional study and as a basis for program development recommendations to be considered by mathematics curriculum team leaders, the RSU 13 Administrative team, each building principal, RSU 13’s math teachers, and the RSU 13 Curriculum Committee.
Click here to view this report: Mathematics Program Audit
