LUBEC, Maine — School board members put their faces in their hands and some burst into tears, but they voted in favor Wednesday night of closing the Lubec High School — a decision rooted in a massive loss of state funding.
Sitting on picturesque Cobscook Bay, Lubec’s land valuations, according to the state, have skyrocketed, costing the town $598,000 in state aid to education for the next school year. Instead of receiving more than $600,000 this fall, the school district will receive $29,000.
Cuts on all levels were mandatory and, in an effort to keep a quality education affordable on the elementary level, the board determined that it was necessary to close the attached high school, which has been serving about 37 students.
In recognition that the decision was of paramount importance, the board opted to send the issue out to a public vote within 45 days. Also included in the decision was a move to allow parents the choice of which school their students would attend — Shead High School in Eastport, Machias Memorial High School in Machias, or Washington Academy in East Machias. The nearest school is 25 to 30 miles away.
Transportation would be provided by the district and reimbursed at 90 percent by the state.
There are four students from the Unorganized Territory of Trescott now attending Lubec High who will also now have to arrange alternate education.
The savings in closing the high school — estimated at between $15,441 and $129,429 — come nowhere near closing the shortfall gap in funding. Superintendent Brian Carpenter said the wing of the school that houses the high school classes would be closed and four teachers, a guidance counselor, a guidance secretary and a high school secretary laid off.
Carpenter estimated that more than $173,000 in costs would be shifted from the high school to the elementary school budget. These are primarily salaries and benefits previously shared between the two schools, such as music, art and various equipment rentals.
The more than 75 residents who attended Wednesday night’s meeting begged the board not to slowly dismantle the elementary school programs as the budget crisis continues.
One woman said, “We cannot sell our children’s souls to the devil for a dollar.”
Many in the audience said they felt that the quality of education at the elementary level had suffered just to keep the high school open with such a low enrollment. They recognized that if the high school closes, there may be some small benefits on the lower level, such as a full-time art program and a physical education teacher that also could teach health.
When asked what next year’s budget cycle looks like, board Chairman Russell Wright confirmed that it could be even worse than this year.
“My fear is that next year, once you start cutting on the elementary level, you won’t stop,” resident Eleody Mitchell said.