Dear Editor:

In recent letters to this paper, a number of writers have tried to put down Boothbay Region High School as doing poorly, and therefore, in their view, not worth investing in. I would disagree with this assessment, based not only on student test scores, but on what I observe when I visit.

For readers interested in actual measurements of how BRHS is doing I point to the fact that BRHS is doing better than the state average in three critical areas. 

In English and Language Arts, the state average score 83.8, while the BRHS average is 88.9. 

In Mathematics, the state average is 81.3, while BRHS scores 84.5. In Science, the state average is 37, while the BRHS average is 43.

When I visit, I see kids mostly happy and involved in their work. I see teachers going about their work in a professional way, purposeful and engaged in teaching the kids of our community.

Now that the dust is settling over the bond issues, and despite aspirations for regionalization (possible but not at all easy) we need to continue to support our existing BRHS, its staff and students. They are working well. Together, they have created a school that is highly ranked among all the high schools in Maine. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked our BRHS 37th out of all the high schools in Maine. BRHS not only will need, but also deserves, our support in the coming years.

Bruce MacDonald 

Member 

Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor CSD School Committee