The Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 board discussed criteria for evaluating its superintendent, Dr. Keith Laser, and heard from Bath Regional Career and Technical Center (BRCTC) Director Julie Kenny Sept. 30.

Laser outlined several of his office's achievements since he took his post last July, including managing nearly $18 million over six budgets, nearly 200 employees, completing over 200 policy revisions; hiring new principals for Boothbay Region Elementary and Georgetown Central schools; revitalizing Boothbay Region Education Fund (BREF); correction of safety deficiencies in all schools; and rebooting the Community School District's adult education program. Laser attributed the successes to his office as a whole – six employees managing the business of six schools.

Laser also gave the board a list seven goals for this school year: Adopt a process to develop a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade curriculum; complete a mission and vision process for each school; continue to review and update policy; thorough job descriptions for every job in each school; continue to provide transparency in the superintendent's office; increase the BREF presence and fund balance; and seek state approval for AOS 98 to become an Education Service Center.

ESC was a Maine Department of Education initiative to regionalize all education services under the guidance of an executive director which could also be a superintendent, said Laser. “At the time, it sounded a heck of a lot like what an AOS already does.”

Laser said AOS 98 has opted not to participate in an ESC in the past, but a recent meeting he attended with the school attorney highlighted some changes brought on by the new legislature. Those changes open options up for AOS’s, he said. “$96 a student … (is) roughly $60,000 from the state. You would get that from being in an (ESC). The superintendent/executive director's salary and benefits, the state would pay 55%.”

It will be up to each school's board to decide whether or not to pursue ESC status and funding, but Laser said there does not have to be unanimous agreement; one or two schools can opt in and others can opt out, though they leave that funding on the table. Some board members were leery of jumping straight into an ESC status due to a rumor of large costs. The board will research its options.

Board members Peggy Splaine and Kari Babcock are the only members of a subcommittee designed to draft a process for the superintendent's evaluation. Other members have dropped off due to other responsibilities, Splaine noted, so she and Babcock formed a survey which would inform the AOS 98 board's evaluation and the decision on how to proceed with the job’s contract.

“In my opinion, the big decision is do you want to go all the way, do you want to give these surveys to everyone (in the AOS),” asked Board Chair John Bertolet. “Not just teachers – everybody.”

Georgetown member Kelly James voiced concern employees may use the survey to illustrate their displeasure with their school or the central office. Edgecomb member Heather Sinclair said that kind of feedback could prove to be as helpful as it could be useless and that everyone has to remember the evaluation and decision on how to move forward with a contract fall to the AOS 98 board.

The board took a weighted vote on accepting three surveys to disperse to all employees, all committee members and all boards: Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD voted 4-2 in favor; Edgecomb, 2-1; Georgetown, 1-1; and Southport 3-0.

Board members also agreed by consensus that the superintendent’s accomplishments would be considered in the evaluation and that goals would be recognized but not held to the superintendent for future review considering unforeseeable circumstances.

Boothbay Harbor resident Tom Perkins implored the board to consider as much public input and participation as it can. He handed out packets including his recent letter to the editor, one from former BRES principal Mark Tess and a list of words used by teachers and the public to describe Laser’s character as superintendent during public meetings. These included “arrogant,” “curt” and “disrespectful.”

Said Perkins, “By getting some diverse and different opinions in the process, I think you can ultimately get a better decision made.”

Bath Regional Career and Technical Center

Kenny said BRCTC is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and as Morse High School students eagerly await the 2021 opening of the new school, the program has already added more students and is preparing for a move which will likely produce one or two more new programs.

“We offer nine trade programs and this year we just added electricity back in. We have automotive, carpentry, graphic design, culinary arts, electricity, engineering, early childhood, health science and welding.”

She said every program has an advisory board, some with members from the the Boothbay region as the boards like to have as much representation as they can from every region they serve. The CTC increased its enrollment from 156 to 210 this year and, though it takes applications for student placement, only three or four have been rejected by recommendation of school counselors, said Kenny; 9.5% of the students are from Boothbay Region High School; 18.5%, Lincoln Academy; and 15% Wiscasset Middle High School.

“All of our programs are aligned to live work opportunities for students, college credit for students as well as industry-aligned third party standards, assessments and certifications. (So) if a student ... takes two years of automotive, they're currently aligned to Southern Maine Community College for a three-credit dual enrollment. So, of all of our courses, the students can be a part of a concurrent enrollment.” That means a student can register at a college through the CTC and still be a high school student. Kenny said the CTC is also trying to align with Central Maine Community College for a nine-credit concurrent enrollment program.

Kenny said BRCTC hopes to add cosmetology and criminal justice as the program moves into the new building.

The board meets next at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 in the Edgecomb Eddy School cafeteria.