Budget Workshop I

Note: Transcripts are generated from video auto-captions. While highly accurate, they are non-official and do not meet State Archivist record-keeping requirements.

• 0:00
  Meeting Call to Order and Roll Call (Ms. DeAngelis)

  Workshop Chair Ms. DeAngelis calls the meeting to order and welcomes the public. The Superintendent conducts the roll call, confirming all board members and student representatives are present.
• 0:00
  Opening Comments and Process Overview (Ms. DeAngelis)

  Ms. DeAngelis outlines the rules of order and addresses the high volume of emails received from parents regarding the reconfiguration proposal. She explains the budget timeline, previous forums, and clarifies that Mahoney Middle School is no longer owned by the school department and cannot be easily recommissioned.
• 0:05
  Budget Parameters and Enrollment Realities (Ms. DeAngelis)

  Ms. DeAngelis clarifies that the district does not have a deficit but must cut $7-8 million to meet the City Council's 6% increase guidance. She notes that declining enrollment of 300 students alongside an increase of 82 staff members makes a 19% budget increase unsustainable.
• 0:07
  Superintendent's Opening Remarks (Dr. Entwistle)

  Dr. Entwistle welcomes the public to the first of four March budget workshops and explains that tonight's session will focus on a deep dive into the elementary education program. He praises the extensive research and analysis performed by the administrative team to prepare the options.
• 0:14
  Elementary Demographics and Demographics Overview (Lori Pacholski)

  Small Principal Lori Pacholski introduces the leadership team's presentation on the elementary school budget options for FY27. SPHS Principal Sarah Glenn begins by sharing demographic data for the current five elementary schools.
• 0:16
  Lessons from Middle School Merger (Rebecca Stern)

  SPMS Principal Rebecca Stern reflects on her experience during the merger of Mahoney and Memorial middle schools. She assures the board that the middle school community is prepared to support families through whatever transition is decided.
• 0:17
  High-Level Budget Overview (Bethany Connolly)

  Skillin Principal Bethany Connolly presents a high-level budget overview, noting that elementary schools represent the most costly level at 37.4% of the total budget due to operating five separate buildings.
• 0:18
  Elementary Cost Reduction Models (Myra Caron)

  Kaler Principal Myra Caron explains that the team will present multiple models for reducing elementary costs, noting that these choices will directly impact options in other cost centers.
• 0:19
  Current Elementary School Footprint (Beth Kellogg)

  Brown Principal Beth Kellogg provides an overview of the current elementary school structure, which includes five schools and pre-K classrooms offered at Dyer and Kaler.
• 0:20
  Demographic Disparities Across Elementary Schools (Allison Hopkins)

  Dyer Principal Allison Hopkins highlights the significant demographic differences across the five schools, noting that free and reduced lunch rates range from 50-60% at Skillin and Kaler to 20-30% at Brown, Dyer, and Small.
• 0:22
  Multilingual Program Assets and Challenges (April Perkins)

  Director of Multilingual Programs April Perkins discusses the district's linguistic diversity, noting that 18% of students are multilingual learners. She explains that the percentage of multilingual students varies from 6% at Small to 33% at Skillin, and argues that reconfiguration would create more equitable and efficient services.
• 0:24
  Special Education Services and Snapshots (Sonia Croft)

  Assistant Director of Special Education Sonia Croft provides a snapshot of the 618 students currently receiving special education services across various eligibility categories and specialized classrooms.
• 0:26
  Legislative Impacts on Special Education Budget (Trina Primo)

  Assistant Director Trina Primo outlines two major legislative changes impacting the budget, including the extension of services to age 22 and the new responsibility for serving eligible three- and four-year-old students starting in FY27.
• 0:28
  Benefits of Diverse Learning Environments (Hilda Powell)

  Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Hilda Powell presents research supporting the academic, cognitive, and social benefits of students attending racially and economically integrated schools.
• 0:30
  Class Size Guidelines and Section Counts (Nikki Remsen)

  Skillin Assistant Principal Nikki Remsen shares current average class sizes and section counts across the district, confirming that all proposed models remain within the board's established class size guidelines.
• 0:31
  Curriculum Coherence and Teacher Collaboration (Ellyn Feerick)

  Director of Curriculum Ellyn Feerick discusses efforts to ensure common curriculum across all schools, such as the adoption of IntoMath. She emphasizes that grade-level reconfiguration would significantly enhance opportunities for teacher collaboration.
• 0:33
  Technology and Operations Considerations (Andy Wallace)

  Technology Director Andy Wallace explains how grade-level reconfiguration would streamline professional development and device deployment. Operations Director Mike Nalli then details projected maintenance costs, highlighting a pending $3 million HVAC replacement needed at Skillin.
• 0:35
  Financial Matrix and Scenario Evaluations (Abigail Ketchen)

  Finance Director Abigail Ketchen introduces the financial matrix evaluating nine different scenarios over a five-year period. She explains how FTE reductions, facility savings, moving costs, and portable classroom needs were calculated for each model.
• 0:50
  Top Three Recommended Scenarios (Dr. Jo Prince)

  Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jo Prince presents the leadership team's top three ranked plans: Scenario 1.7 (closing Skillin and reconfiguring), Scenario 1.3 (closing Kaler or Dyer and reconfiguring), and Scenario 1.8 (closing Skillin with no reconfiguration). Dr. Entwistle expresses his full support for choosing one of these three options to avoid kicking the problem down the road.
• 0:53
  Board Discussion on Reconfiguration and Closures

  The South Portland Board of Education engages in a detailed discussion regarding the proposed elementary school closures and grade-level reconfigurations.

  • 0:53 Mr. Feller
    He notes that while many parents and teachers support reconfiguration, it is not self-evident that it improves academic achievement. He cites literature suggesting transitions can be disruptive and asks the administration to make a succinct case for the change.
  • 0:57 Ms. Richardson
    She expresses concern over the lack of academic outcome data in the presentation and feels the sudden focus on fiscal savings is a bait-and-switch for the community. She questions why Scenario 1.2 is not fully modeled and worries about the impact of rushing a massive change.
  • 1:03 Mr. Smith
    He delivers a passionate statement warning that closing Skillin would disproportionately force black, brown, and low-income students to travel across the city. He views the decision as an opportunity to desegregate the schools and asks about enrollment projections and pre-K capacity.
  • 1:08 Ms. Holman
    She agrees with Mr. Smith's points regarding Skillin and asks clarifying questions about the strategic choice to offer pre-K. She notes that transitions are hard for young children and wants to ensure they are not being bumped around constantly.
  • 1:13 Mr. Dowling
    He asks about the accuracy of the boundary maps and whether the planning department has been consulted on upcoming housing developments. He also questions the urgency of the Skillin boiler replacement, noting that previous discussions indicated it had ten years of life left.
  • 1:19 Mr. Risch
    He shares feedback from his constituents regarding accountability and planning. He expresses concern that the current models feel like a guess and suggests that more detailed planning is required before making a final decision.
  • 1:21 Ms. DeAngelis
    She shares her definition of neighborhood schools, noting that very few students actually walk to their current schools. She strongly opposes closing Skillin, arguing that it would strip the west end of its only school and create severe inequities.
• 2:11
  Public Comment

  The board opens the floor for public comment, allowing parents, teachers, and residents to share their perspectives on the proposed elementary school changes.

  • 2:11 Kelly Bertino
    She speaks as a Small staff member and parent, thanking the board for the presentation but highlighting the logistical nightmare of dual drop-offs. She notes that lower-income families will be disproportionately inconvenienced by the proposed changes.
  • 2:14 Sarah Gay
    Speaking as the SPTA President, she reads questions from teachers anxious about the timeline for staff cuts. She asks if the models account for non-traditional learning spaces and requests the rubric used to design the evaluation matrix.
  • 2:18 Abby Anderson
    The SPTA Vice President continues reading teacher concerns, questioning why Scenario 1.9 was excluded from the top three despite high savings. She also asks why the district is bonding $5 million for athletic fields while claiming Skillin's HVAC is too expensive to repair.
  • 2:20 Catherine
    She speaks as a parent at Small School, emphasizing the psychological impact of frequent transitions on young children. She notes that many marginalized families cannot attend these meetings due to work shifts and childcare barriers.
  • 2:21 Zulma Lizarazo
    She speaks as a working parent of four children, expressing deep concern over how school reconfiguration will disrupt her family's tight schedule. She explains that managing multiple school schedules with only one car is nearly impossible.
  • 2:21 Jenny Lupica
    She expresses disappointment that the district is targeting elementary schools for cuts before looking at central administration. She advocates for Scenario 1.2 and asks the board to look at the 82 positions created since 2017 to find administrative cuts instead.
  • 2:24 Emily Haynes
    She speaks as a Small parent and Portland educator, arguing that schools cannot solve housing segregation alone. She outlines the severe logistical burdens of Crosstown busing and dual aftercare pickups for working families.
  • 2:25 Heather Willette
    She speaks as a Dyer parent and educator, expressing support for Scenario 1.8 as a way to limit transitions while achieving long-term savings. She also calls for translators to be present at meetings to make public comment accessible to multilingual families.
  • 2:27 Brian Green
    He presents peer-reviewed research showing that school transitions in elementary years are associated with declines in academic achievement and increased anxiety. He also highlights the negative environmental impact of increased busing and driving.
  • 2:28 Rob Grygiel
    He speaks on behalf of his wife, Christina Grygeil, an art teacher and union rep, demanding transparency regarding past budgets. He questions how combining schools will affect special education teachers who are already stretched to their limit.
  • 2:29 Dr. Katelyn Foley
    She speaks as a parent and physical activity expert, emphasizing the health and community benefits of walking to school. She worries that larger, consolidated schools will weaken student-faculty connections and parent-teacher organizations.
  • 2:31 Bill Newton
    He speaks as a Skillin parent, echoing Mr. Smith's concerns about the racial and economic inequities of busing. He questions the lack of transportation cost estimates and worries about the length of the resulting bus rides.
  • 2:32 Tracy E.
    She speaks as a Skillin parent, sharing how she relies on her neighborhood 'village' for childcare and support. She questions when the budget issues were first known and worries about separating young siblings into different schools.
  • 2:34 Sarah Jalbert
    She speaks as a Skillin parent, sharing her personal childhood experience of a disruptive transition to grade-level schools. She urges the board to look elsewhere for budget cuts rather than putting the burden on young children.
  • 2:35 Andy Lubershane
    He speaks as a Small parent, noting that children are the constituency most impacted but least represented. He opposes the reconfiguration plan and suggests allocating cuts disproportionately to wealthier schools that can better absorb them.
  • 2:36 Kate Normandin
    Speaking as the Skillin PTA President, she acknowledges the difficult budget situation but criticizes the lack of proactive communication. She offers the PTAs' help to spread awareness and demands proof that reconfiguration is a long-term solution.
  • 2:38 Adam Tishok
    He speaks as a Small parent, opposing reconfiguration due to the negative impacts on children. He calls for a more inclusive decision-making process and questions why a model combining school closures with boundary adjustments was not considered.
  • 2:39 Rachel Gallo
    She presents the results of a grassroots parent survey that received over 245 responses, showing that 85% of parents oppose reconfiguration. She notes that 80% predict negative impacts on family dynamics and 90% worry about busing complications.
  • 2:41 Haley Runback
    She yields her time to Rachel Gallo to allow her to finish presenting the survey results. Rachel emphasizes the need for effective communication rather than just passive transparency.
  • 2:43 Vladimir Korshin
    He shares a personal anecdote about the strong sense of community and friendship fostered by walking his son to Small School. He fears that busing will deprive families of these valuable daily connections.
  • 2:45 Steph Baltos
    She speaks as a Skillin kindergarten teacher, warning that portables are not a viable long-term solution. She explains how portables disrupt learning time and complicate transitions for students receiving specialized services.
  • 2:48 Stacy Morin
    She speaks as a Skillin special education teacher, urging the board to consider the needs of highly vulnerable students in self-contained classrooms. She emphasizes that frequent transitions are exceptionally difficult for these children.
  • 2:50 Dailyn Markie
    She asks for more details on the future of pre-K, noting that half-day programs are not feasible for working parents. She criticizes the presentation of staggering figures, which she felt resembled scare tactics.
  • 2:52 Lila
    She speaks as a Skillin parent, emphasizing that children thrive on stability and routine. She worries that a rotating cast of teachers and buildings under a reconfiguration model will prevent kids from forming trusting relationships.
  • 2:54 Mark Michalski
    He urges the board to slow down the decision-making process and gather more data. He notes that a hasty decision could have severe, long-term adverse impacts on the community.
  • 2:55 Melinda Hull
    She recalls that previous reconfiguration work was paused to study controlled choice and magnet programs, and asks if any of that research was utilized. She suggests exploring alternative uses for the Mahoney site.
  • 2:58 Charlie Fox
    He speaks as a Dyer parent, sharing how much he values walking his son to school. He describes his son's tearful reaction to the news of potentially being separated from his friends next year.
  • 3:01 Julius Hayde
    Speaking as an architect, he emphasizes that successful large-scale planning requires adequate time and clear communication. He questions whether the permitting process for portables could even be completed by September.
  • 3:02 Adrian Dowling
    He shares the history of the west end of South Portland, noting that the closure of Mary Marsh Elementary left a lasting scar. He argues that the west end has historically suffered political and educational marginalization.
  • 3:05 Lauren Shapiro
    She raises the unpopular question of whether the district can actually afford to expand pre-K at this time, given the severe budget constraints and the struggle to meet current student needs.
  • 3:06 Hannah Sise
    She speaks as a parent of three, including two children with selective mutism. She emphasizes that the stability and continuity of a neighborhood school are vital for vulnerable children to find their voices.
• 3:28
  Closing Remarks and Adjournment (Ms. DeAngelis)

  Ms. DeAngelis clarifies that the proposed housing developments in Mill Creek and Landry Village will not affect school enrollment. She reiterates that the district does not have a deficit but must work within spending limits, and adjourns the meeting.