[Year-Round Housing Committee] Sample "talking points" as examples

[Mlongreene2 at aol.com]

Here are the sample talking points for island schools that we may use to  
stimulate thinking on "talking points" we may develop for YRH use.   MG
 
 
2/1/07 Sample Education  Hearing Talking Points: 
§        Island Schools Require Unique  Solutions! 
§        We are encouraged that Governor Baldacci and other  legislators are 
serious about reducing the state’s property tax burden. No one  understands 
the need to achieve tax relief better than island communities, some  of which 
have seen their property taxes triple during the past few  years. 
§         The proposed  plans school consolidation plans will have the effect 
of dismantling island  schools and, by doing so, will dismantle the very 
communities that have come to  define Maine’s coastal heritage as “the way life 
should  be.” 
§        The public comment process  seems like more of an exercise than a 
truly democratic process. The projected  savings from the Governor’s plan has 
already been factored into the state’s  budget. There is very little real 
opportunity for public input on this flawed  plan. 
§        Local governance is critical to island school survival.  Island 
Schools are different than mainland schools, and different from one  another. It 
is hard to imagine a “cookie cutter” governance approach such as  that 
proposed by the governor that would work for these very different schools.   
§        This plan will take away  local control from island schools. Robbing 
island communities—parents, teachers,  students, and town governments—of 
their voice in school governance will  effectively dismantle the role of island 
schools as a vital part of island  community life.   
§        If governance of the new  districts is based on population, island 
voices would be entirely lost in the  new super-districts. For example, the 
mainland population of the Cumberland super-district is 400 times larger than 
that of  Chebeague  Island. The school board  would need 400 members to justify 
one member from Chebeague. Effectively, this  plan writes off island schools—
and the communities they serve—as irrelevant.
Possible discussion points  for public hearing testimony (these are the 
things  suggested by participants in the January  26 brainstorming meeting in 
Rockland): 
While each island school is different, these schools  share a number of 
characteristics: 
    *   Geographic isolation—you cannot get to an island without a  boat. 
    *   Multi-graded  classrooms 
    *   Heavy community investment in the  school—island communities  know 
how important their schools are to community sustainability, and many  provide 
significant support for their schools beyond that which is provided by  the 
state. 
    *   Island schools make the most of every  dollar, with minuscule  
administrations and staff who play multiple roles (from teaching in  multi-level 
classrooms to driving the bus, to cleaning the floors, to doing  the 
bookkeeping). 
    *   Island schools individualize and  differentiate instruction,  
allowing each child to receive the most appropriate education for his or her  needs. 
    *   Island schools are important providers of  adult education to  
community members. 
    *   Island schools are community cultural  centers whose buildings  are 
used more efficiently than most mainland schools—for meetings, community  
suppers, and a host of other activities. 
    *   Island schools provide a safe and secure  environment for kids that  
encourages new families to move to island communities—thereby strengthening  
those communities.
Collaboration among island schools has enabled them to  share knowledge and 
programs that enriches and strengthens individual schools,  while allowing them 
to maintain their unique local character. Examples of  collaboration include: 
    *   Bringing private investments and grants to  improve island education 
    *   Offering professional development opportunities  for island teachers 
through such programs as the Island Teachers  Conference 
    *   Sharing the expense of inter-island arts  programming 
    *   Creating opportunities for inter-island physical  education 
programming such as sports tournaments, track and field,  etc. 
    *   Sharing library resources with other  islands 
    *   Providing transitional programming for students  transferring from 
island to mainland  schools 
    *   Providing college readiness and aspirations  programming for students 
graduating from island schools to attend college  on the mainland. 
Other points: 
Island Schools function with part time administrations –  with superintendent 
support from 1 day per month to 3 days per  month 
Island School Board do more than just attend meetings –  they act as the 
school nurses, physical education teachers, curriculum  consultants and much more 
There are  approximately 500 island students attending island  schools
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