Dear Editor:

I am a parent, BRHS teacher, and Boothbay Harbor taxpayer.  I am writing as a citizen of Boothbay Harbor and as a parent. 

I believe it is important to pass both school items. The proposed changes to BRES will make it a school in which rooms have windows, middle school students will have a much-needed age-appropriate area, and facilities will no longer be crammed in the old shop space. Specialists are teaching in hallways, the school entry, and windowless interior spaces.

I used to think it would be better to send kids off-peninsula. As I've matured as a teacher and grown to understand communities, I now think it’s a mistake to close BRHS. Sending kids off-peninsula introduces inequities. Parents who have the time and means could send children wherever. For most families, picking children up from a distant school’s after school activities would be challenging. Late buses no longer exist.

Right now, we can see our community's teens’ activities by taking a short drive. Our teens can work, volunteer, help younger siblings get to/from school, and help grandparents when needed. Teens can safely walk to the YMCA. Busing students takes that away. Our teens will lose their close connection to the community, and we would lose the presence of our teens.

My daughter, a ninth grade student, is recognized by BRHS teachers. People would notice if she did not show up. Adults celebrate her accomplishments, check in regularly, and greet her daily. Those moments are harder in larger schools. This is particularly true for tuitioned students. In other districts, I saw tutioned students miss out on vocational programming since they were not actually community members.

People think a regional high school is the solution.  However, who will regionalize with us? Edgecomb lacks infrastructure or desire. Wiscasset has its own challenges, and would prefer that we send our students there.  Lincoln is private, so does not HAVE to take anyone. Bath just built a new school which is already quite full.  Regardless, students would have a very long bus ride.

I know that there is a cost to this, but the cost to not building a new high school and renovating BRES would be greater, deeply impacting the connections between our children and our community.

Emily Higgins

Boothbay Harbor