Democracy not a spectator sport
Orland Democrats plan to caucus at the Orland Community Center, formerly Orland Consolidated School, Sunday, March 6.
Are you not registered as a Democrat in Orland? No problem. Although the deadline has passed for moving from one party to another, individuals who are new in town or who have not been enrolled in a party may register as a Democrat Sunday and participate in the caucus. A registrar will register you from 1 to 2 p.m., before the caucus.
The caucus begins at 2 p.m., with the presidential preference portion expected to begin no earlier than 2:30 p.m. Also during this portion, attendees will select municipal and county committee membership and hear from individuals who are running for office, as well as those representing folks who aspire to higher office.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. Jump in.
Kent Price
Chair
Orland Democrats
Orland
Elect Smith to Orono school board
It’s not every day Orono has the opportunity to elect a nationally recognized education expert to its school board, but on Tuesday, March 8, Orono residents will have just that opportunity. Michelle Smith, a University of Maine professor of biology, is one of two candidates running to fill a single Orono school board seat.
The next few years will be critical for Orono schools: the board will approve the first strategic plan since Orono schools became their own district, teacher contracts will be negotiated, the high school will transition to a system of proficiency-based learning and important curricular decisions will be made.
As a board member for the state’s STEM council and as a professor who teaches courses at the university on curriculum development and proficiency-based education, Smith offers a professional background that is uniquely aligned with our school’s needs. Furthermore, Smith is a disarming listener who brings out the best in the people she works with, often facilitating important, new connections. An example of this is the nationally recognized program she leads, which brings middle and high-school teachers to UMaine to observe and provide teaching feedback to professors.
For these reasons, I plan to vote for Michelle Smith for Orono School Board on March 8.
Katie Quirk
Orono
Restore the Penobscot’s West Branch
The time has come to consider removing the dam at the outlet of Quakish Lake, restoring the West Branch of the Penobscot River to its original course. This dam was built around 1900 to divert water to the now closed paper mill in Millinocket.
Because of a licensed hydroelectric plant that is down river, the removal of the dam would be a slow process and may even have to wait until new technology makes hydro power obsolete. But this remote area would make for fine camping and wilderness recreation.
When the Penobscot returns to its God-given course, it would be spectacular. Our future generations would greatly appreciate our foresight.
This corridor sits just north of Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribal territory. The Millinocket area and Maine would benefit in tourism dollars. This dam served a useful purpose in making paper and helped supply good jobs for more than 110 years.
Unfortunately, now that the great chimney of the paper mill is gone, these jobs are gone forever.
Kevin Perry
Orneville
Use surplus to cover education shortfall
The state is expected to receive a state revenue surplus of nearly $73 million in the coming months. These unanticipated funds could not come at a better time because schools across Maine face a significant loss in state funding in the next year. Bangor will lose $744,000, and Orono will lose more than $77,000.
But instead of addressing this critical shortfall that threatens the quality of our children’s education and to cause property taxes to spike, the governor said we immediately should squirrel this money away into the state’s Rainy Day Fund.
Anyone who has ever managed a household budget understands that you should pay your bills before you deposit your entire paycheck into a savings account. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I know the state budget is no different.
We need to take a balanced approach between saving what we can and spending what we need to solve real, critical challenges we face right now. Saving our schools from harmful cuts is the first priority, but our communities’ needs do not end there. The drug crisis continues to ravage families all over Maine. Conditions at the Riverview mental health facility are deteriorating by the day. Our transportation infrastructure is in disrepair. To abandon all these pressing issues is fiscally irresponsible.
Rep. Aaron Frey
Bangor
Rekindle love of learning
Once in a while, someone articulates with great clarity the reason why Watershed School exists. In an Aug. 11, 2015, Atlantic magazine article by Jessica Lahey titled “When Success Leads to Failure,” I find the source of my own inspiration for teaching and the very real threat to learning. In it, Lahey comes clean with a parent worried about her daughter, “[whose] grades are fine; I’m not worried about that, but she just doesn’t seem to love learning anymore.”
The emphasis on getting good grades, high scores and championship trophies has instilled a deep-rooted fear of failure, and “that fear of failure has destroyed her love of learning.” As a result, students take fewer risks, have trouble writing a rough draft and don’t dare to think outside the box. Lahey looks us straight in the eye and asks, “Is that what we want? Kids who get straight As but hate learning? Kids who achieve academically but are too afraid to take leaps into the unknown?”
At the Watershed School, we intentionally create a safe learning environment in which young people grow over time, take risks, develop intellectual courage and find their own voice, all balanced with a clear sense of what it takes to get accepted into a good college and land a satisfying job.
Lahey is committed to helping young people “rediscover their intellectual bravery, their enthusiasm for learning, and the resilience they need to grow into independent, competent adults.” Thanks to Lahey for reminding us of the very important work we are doing each day and for articulating so clearly our reason for being.
William M. Galloway
Head of school
Watershed School
Camden