Chinese program could be eliminated

Emelia Beattie has taken Chinese language courses in School Administrative District 75 since eighth grade.

The Mt. Ararat High School sophomore from Harpswell said she became interested in the culture after her younger sister was adopted from China. But if she had known she wouldn’t be able to take it for four years in high school, Emelia said she might have made a different choice.

At a SAD 75 Finance Committee budget forum Tuesday, her father, Bart Beattie, asked that the Chinese program not be eliminated, saying one of the district’s objectives is to prepare students for the 21st century.

“We all know China plays an extremely significant role politically and economically across the globe,” Beattie said. “Preparing our students to be able to speak Chinese, read Chinese, understand Chinese culture which is inherent in learning the language, is really going to be key for a state like Maine,” where the population is shrinking and it must be looking at how to grow its economy.

Though SAD 75 officials have been busy putting together a $34.3 million draft budget, Beattie was one of only four members of the public attending the school district’s first public budget forum Tuesday.

SAD 75 Superintendent Brad Smith said that, near the end of last year’s budget process, the district formed a committee to study its world language needs. The committee contacted the state and talked with colleges about their language requirements, but found no pressure on what kind of language the students study as long as they see the commitment to learning a language.

“If, in fact, Chinese is cut, then we would want to make sure those students have the highest priority being able to select another language to continue, so they could in fact get four years,” Smith said.

The school district hasn’t yet decided what accommoda- tions may be offered students such as Emelia Beattie who want to complete their high school studies in Chinese.

The potential elimination of Chinese language classes comes amid retirement cost shifts from the state, higher costs for health insurance and potential funding incursions from students opting to leave the district to attend a charter school.

The district is projected to get $567,067 more in state subsidy next year. The district could also be asked to pay $300,853 for its share of teacher retirement costs from those additional state funds.

The $34.3 million budget presented to the public Monday would increase the local contribution of the four towns by $494,686 — or 2.6 percent — with Bowdoin’s share increasing $86,084; Harpswell’s $126,817; and Topsham’s $292,733. Bowdoinham’s share would decrease $10,678.

However, the district learned Monday that health insurance costs will go up an estimated $225,000. If that cost also is to come from local dollars, it would raise the local share to $115,453 more for Bowdoin; $16,845 more for Bowdoinham; $214,634 more for Harpswell and $373,025 more for Topsham.

For a Bowdoin home assessed at $150,000, the annual tax increase would be $75.47. For a similar home in Bowdoinham, the increase would be $11.08. For the average $404,500 home value in Harpswell, it would be a tax increase of $49.12. For a $184,200 home in Topsham, the annual tax increase would be $74.36.

The budget estimates SAD 75 will lose $163,000 when 20 students leave the district to go to charter schools.

Currently, 32 students from SAD 75 have indicated interest in attending Harpswell Coastal Academy, scheduled to open in September, Smith said. Two students expected to go to Good Will-Hinckley next year.

The budget proposes adding a librarian at the high school and sharing with the town of Topsham the cost of a school resource officer assigned to the high school who would also be available for the middle school. There is also $260,000 more for special education.

The district expects to find savings through retirements, unfilled teacher vacancies and some cuts to teaching positions.

The budget would cut a full time Spanish teacher for grades 6-12 and a full-time Chinese teacher for grades 6- 12, which would eliminate the Chinese program from the district. The Chinese teachers are visiting teachers from China, originally funded through grant money that has dwindled.

Besides Beattie, the only other opinion stated by a member of the public Tuesday came from Harpswell resident and former board member David Johnson.

He told the Finance Committee, “I encourage you, no more cuts.”

dmoore@timesrecord.com

¦ PUBLIC FORUMS will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, at Woodside Elementary School in Topsham and Thursday, April 4, at Bowdoinham Community School.

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