Relevant information

We enthusiastically support the proposed Freeport High School renovation project. We’re especially excited about the prospect of improving Freeport High School’s athletic fields.

Having said that, we’d like to share portions of a medical white paper we came across recently – information we feel is relevant to the decision before the Durham, Freeport and Pownal voters. This study was conducted by Dr. Lyle Micheli in cooperation with Children’s Hospital (Boston) and Harvard Medical School:

At the Division of Sports Medicine here at Boston Children’s Hospital we believe that sports are good for children in several ways. We also believe that sports may have special benefits for girls. These benefits can be divided into three different categories:

Physical Health

Reduced risk of certain chronic illnesses: In women who were physically active as girls, there is a reduced incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and breast cancer.

Improved Body Composition: The epidemic of obesity in our children is in large part to do with the fact that they are not physically active. Not surprisingly, kids who play sports and are physically active are much less likely to be overweight than those who are “coach potatoes.”

Stronger Immune System: Moderate exercise strengthens a child’s immune system by increasing the levels of various disease-fighting substances in the body, including interferon and interleukin-1. Being in shape can help a person combat diseases ranging from the common cold and flu to cancer.

Stronger Bones: By increasing the strength and thickness of their bones when they’re young, exercise helps young women avoid osteoporosis in later life.

Academic Fitness

A healthy body is a prerequisite to a healthy mind. Here’s how young female athletes compare to girls who don’t play sports.

They have higher grade point averages.

They score better on their SATs.

They have a lower risk of dropping out of school.

They have a better chance of getting into, staying in, and performing well in college.

Girls who play high school sports significantly outperform non-athletic girls in academic subjects such as science and math.

Emotional/Psychological Fitness

Physical activity improves girls’ self-esteem, self-concept, self-confidence, and perceptions of competence. Girls who are active tend to be more optimistic, which has a direct bearing on motivation, and therefore achievement.

With improved self-esteem come benefits that all of us parents can appreciate: a lower risk of unwanted sexual behavior and pregnancy, and reduced drug and alcohol abuse. Girls who are athletes are also less likely to smoke or to have eating disorders.

Please join us in voting yes on June 11.

Jeff and Donna Bengtsson

Freeport

Now is the time

I am a Freeport resident, parent of three young children and a member of the RSU 5 community. I believe that we have a civic responsibility to provide the best education we can for the kids in our community.

As I learn more about the conditions at the high school, such as the overcrowding that is projected to get worse, unsafe entrances and drop-off areas, teachers without classrooms, lack of heat, lack of handicap access, converting closets into usable space, and holding class in the hallways, it becomes clear that our high school does not provide an acceptable learning environment. Now is the time to take action before costs double or triple, interest rates increase and conditions deteriorate further.

The proposed renovations are modest, thorough and well thought out. They leverage the strengths that exist and address areas that are currently falling short. They also create opportunities for learning and growing outside the classroom – our students are also musicians, artists, actors and athletes and their participation in extracurricular activities impacts their development and overall success. Infrastructure to support the whole student isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity and a critical part of a quality high school experience.

Decisions around spending are never easy, but I see this as an investment in our community – I want to be part of a strong and vibrant community, where everyone feels proud to live, work, learn and play. Please join me in supporting this bond.

Katie Spaulding

Freeport

diplomas are essentially worthless. The problem is with the facility, which was built in 1961. It needs upgrades in the electrical system and insulation, as well as a new cafeteria and auditorium. The classrooms are too small to accommodate the students.

When we moved to Auburn in 2002, we didn’t really look at the high school. Our baby had just turned 2 and the day when he would be 6 feet tall and driving himself off to high school seemed very far away. But, as young parents soon learn, kids grow up fast. We began hearing terrible things about Edward Little from the neighbors. Two more babies arrived and we knew we had to do what was best for them. A survey of schools in the surrounding towns showed that Durham offered the best public education. It has a gorgeous new elementary school and access to Freeport High. So we moved to Durham.

The problem came in selling our home in Auburn. Newspaper headlines screamed, “High School Could Lose Accreditation,” with stories of dreadful conditions inside. We owned an old farmhouse that was sized for a family. We needed to find a family willing to move in to Auburn, and with headlines like that everywhere there were no takers. Numerous people told our real estate agent, “We would buy this beautiful house in a heartbeat, but we just can’t send our kids to Auburn schools.” Our house was on the market for two years. In the end, someone offered us half of what it was worth and we had no choice but to give it away. That is why you should care about FHS, even if you don’t have young children.

Durham Community School has been an enormous improvement over Auburn elementary schools, but as the kids head off to the high school I am hearing familiar noises. Freeport High School was built in 1961, the same year as Edward Little. It has an outdated electrical system, inefficient heat and insulation, needs a new cafeteria and classrooms. And it’s crowded. Enrollment has increased 25 percent in the past three years, mostly due to the addition of Durham and Pownal kids. The architect told me the kitchen was the worst he had ever seen. Kids must eat in the classrooms because they can’t fit in the cafeteria. In the winter, they wear coats inside because it heats so poorly. Pitiful!

The Sun Journal reports (3/22/13) that, after four years on probation, the town of Auburn wants to improve the high school ASAP, citing the fact that interest rates are low now and that after the recession ends construction prices will skyrocket. Renovations to Edward Little are projected to cost the owners of a typical Auburn house worth $150,000 about $270 a year, while a new school would cost the same homeowner $336 a year. The education committee is now recommending a new school because they consider the old one irredeemable.

RSU 5 has already rejected the idea of a new high school as too expensive. Renovations to FHS are projected to cost the average Durham homeowner $200 year, even less in Pownal. That is less than they will pay in Auburn, where the average income is lower. Now is a good time to go forward. Economists warn that when the fed is through printing money, there will be inflation. Smart money borrows at low interest and pays back in diminished dollars. The alternative is to delay and borrow an inflated sum at higher interest rates tomorrow.

Not often are we given a chance to see what our future holds, but if we continue to defer maintenance Auburn becomes our crystal ball. Failure to renovate may mean:

The exodus of families who care about their children’s education.

Falling home prices.

A substandard education for our children and inability to compete for college seats or jobs.

Possible academic probation if conditions are allowed to worsen.

Higher renovation costs in the future, or, perhaps, the need for a whole new campus.

Clearly something must be done about that school. As temporary trailers begin to pop up on parking lots and playing fields around Freeport High, the drum beat will get louder. As discontent turns to disgust, the conversation will turn from renovation to new campus, as it has done in Auburn. A modest tax increase now is what is right for the kids and, in the long run, it is right for your pocketbook, too.

Kristin Nam

Durham

Better served

I am writing in support of the proposed renovation of Freeport High School. This renovation is not about providing our children with a luxurious new high school; it’s about addressing some serious fundamental issues in a responsible manner. The high school is overcrowded now and it will only get worse, the classrooms need basic technology improvements that are core to today’s learning environment, the school is not ADA compliant and does not meet today’s security standards, and our fields are often unusable for practice and competition. All of this results in an inadequate learning environment for our children.

Even if you do not have children in school system, please recognize that good schools are tied to robust communities and have a ripple effect for years to come. The children being educated today are our most valuable resource and someday you will depend on them as our future community leaders, business persons, and service providers. By creating a high school environment that our children can be proud of, and where they can be focused and engaged in their learning, our entire community will be better served. Please vote yes on June 11.

Jen Panciocco

Freeport

Makes sense

A proposal to expand and renovate Freeport High School will be on the June 11 ballot in our three towns. Although the proposed bond issue for this project may seem “big” at $16.9 million, the renovation proposal itself is actually modest. It will cost us far less than it would to build an entirely new high school, the only other alternative to address current and increasing over capacity.

Borrowing costs right now are exceptionally low, thus reducing the overall cost. These are the most compelling reasons to do this now. In addition, the oldest parts of the building are badly in need of updating, and various parts of the proposal will result in operational cost savings down the road (e.g., energy efficiencies and maintenance).

The plan does include a track and turf field. But even this is not extravagant. It is cost effective to do this when the construction equipment is already on site, and when the fields will already be disturbed by the building construction. The improved field and the new track will benefit all ages, not just students. These will drain and dry quickly, be accessible more often for exercise and play, and be easier to maintain.

The proposal makes sense to me, even though my children are now grown. It is an investment in our future (the children of our towns). Moreover, the proposal offers benefits for all of us: safety and cost efficiencies for school and adult education, for public events, and for outdoor exercise and play.

Please vote yes for the school construction bond on June 11. Thank you.

Lucinda E. White

Freeport

Everyone will win

If you’re concerned about your personal finances, then you should definitely vote yes on June 11 to renovate the RSU5 high school. Why? Every major study shows a competitive school system directly translates to higher home and property values and faster home sales.

Don’t own a home? Need a job? Competitive school systems attract young families, which in turn attract businesses and jobs. In short, a vibrant school system equals a vibrant community.

Recently, a Portland-based advertising agency relocated 40 employees. Not one family chose to move to Durham, Pownal or Freeport. That is not a good sign. The small tax increase you might see will be far exceeded by your home value, business value, job opportunities, community prosperity and quality of life.

There’s one more reason. It’s the right thing to do. Vote yes for our children, grandchildren and our neighbors’ and friends’ children. Invest in your personal worth as well as the community and vote yes on June 11 to renovate Freeport High School.

Ray Ramage

Freeport