By David Harry
Staff Writer

Parents and teachers concerned about the condition of local schools plan to host meetings at schools throughout the district.
Christine Kukka of Saving Excellence in Scarborough Schools, called the introductory meeting held Dec. 10 to discuss issues facing parents, teachers and students a success. She said the group’s next step will be to enlist more help and circulate a survey to ask residents what they expect from local education.
The meeting last week drew about 25 people, one of whom said the group is a thinly disguised ploy for local teachers to earn more money.
“The last thing parents should be worried about is a teacher’s salary,” said Kathy Schuyler, who said she joined other parents in a group to bring changes to Scarborough schools more than a decade ago.
Schuyler attended the meeting last Thursday but left after about half of those in attendance said they were teachers or Board of Education members.
“I’m sorry she got that impression,” said Kukka, who has two children in local schools. “Was it the ultimate forum? No, this is a starting point of what and who we are.”
Kukka was joined in moderating the meeting by Scarborough High School teacher Paul Ledman, who also is a negotiator for the Scarborough Educational Association that represents area teachers; Eight Corners Primary School teacher Peggy Clements; and Amy Glidden, a parent of students attending local schools who also teaches at Thornton Academy in Saco.
Schuyler said she helped start Parents for Academic Strengthening of Education in the 1990s because increasing enrollments led to a lack of staffing in administrative positions. She said the group was successful in helping create separate positions for directors of curriculum and special education.
In prefacing her comments about the condition of area schools, Clements noted the schools grew and improved during the late 1990s.
“But did we climb financially over the years to cover these wonderful things?” Clements asked.
At the meeting Thursday, Kukka, Ledman, Clements and Glidden pointed to per-pupil spending of $9,724 in Scarborough, which is less than the state average of $10,657 per pupil and also less than is spent in Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Westbrook.
The amounts, compiled in January by the Maine Department of Education, reflect K-12 spending in regular, career and special education, administration for individual schools and school system transportation, facilities, debt service and student and staff support.
The group leaders also are concerned by the percentage of property taxes spent on education.  Scarborough spends 62 percent of property tax revenues on education. By comparison, Cape Elizabeth spends 72 percent of property tax revenues on education, Falmouth spends 71 percent  and Gorham spends 82 percent.
According to budget documents on the town Web site, about $27 million of $42 million in property tax revenues went to education in fiscal year 2009. The current school budget is about $35 million.
Although he declined to be specific, Ledman said he felt there is a “hostile environment for education.”
“The issue for most teachers is obstacles in the path,” Ledman said.
A common lament among parents, including Annie Agger and foreign language teacher Christy Zavasnik, was the lack of a technology coordinator to help students and faculty navigate the computer lab and provide passwords to allow them access to sites blocked on school computers.
Even as contracts, staffing and programs were discussed, Board of Education Chairman Brian Dell’Olio warned hard fiscal times are about to get harder.
Dell’Olio said he expects an additional $2 million loss in state subsidies for the next fiscal year. If a flat-funded budget is approved by the Town Council next spring, the financial hardship could double, he said.
Dell’Olio said the Board of Education will begin evaluating every district program at its meeting Thursday, Dec. 17, after the Leader deadline, as the process for developing a 2011 fiscal year budget begins.
As he listened to the descriptions and financial forecasts, Doug Friedman, who has two children in local schools, said he wanted to get beyond spreadsheets distributed at the meeting to determine how to deliver the best opportunities for students to learn.
“What are the numbers teaching us?” he asked. Friedman, who said he moved to town because the schools were well regarded, said he shares the worry that declining educational standards and schools will lead to a decline in town property values.
Kukka said she hopes for the same kind of dialogue, and for much more participation to help make priorities and objectives clear to the Board of Education and town councilors.
Schuyler, who said her children attended local schools about a decade ago, said any strengthening of schools should include merit evaluations of teachers. She also wants the public to watch what is going on with SESS.
To learn more about SESS, visit sessscarborough.wikispaces.com.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337.ext. 219