High School Consolidation with Equal Representation

There is no real advantage for Middletown in full regionalization. The elementary schools and Gaudet are stable and seem to be functioning well. I have concerns about their preparation for HS, but hopefully curriculum standards will be established at the top as they were in MA, and we will stop teaching to the test. 

However, the high school program that has most concerned me over the years because of the abysmal test scores and because of the increasingly limited opportunities for students. 

The most egregious example is the focus on the top students - bless those mathematical geniuses - at the sacrifice of the majority that may or may not go to college but would profit from practical skills within the high school itself or at the Career & Technical School.  

Not everyone is interested enough or motivated or can afford to go to college or to a trade/technical school.  But Middletown sends few students to NACTC because recruitment means exorbitant tuition for each student. 

But NACTC would be a part of a consolidated high school at no extra cost.  (Also, attaching the Pre-School would be beneficial for both the little ones and the high schoolers who would be trained in a Child Development program.)

Then there is the phasing out of multiple foreign languages, some of the arts, and foundation courses like civics and money management (real practical losses in everyday lives.) 

Of course there is the issue of teaching staff. If 25 students are considered a full classroom, why do we have so many classes with numbers below 20?  And is the explanation for the majority of low scores on the AP exams that we have so many (obviously unqualified) students in AP classes? 

I have heard people say, "It's all about the money." It’s common sense: one building is cheaper to maintain than two. And 2 teachers with 25 students in each classroom is cheaper than 3 teachers with

16 or maybe it’s better to have the same number of teachers with many more available courses.

Finally, there is the challenge of working with Newport. Newport has the name but they can't do it without us and that gives us leverage. I believe in equal control. Our senator told us a year ago that agreements had some flexibility. I would never support any agreement that did not guarantee equal authority and supervision by both communities. Middletown is Newport's sister community, not its poor cousin, and we need to be respected as such.

So, if the Newport proposes regionalization to the Middletown Town Council, I suggest that we tell them that we are only interested in high school consolidation with fair and equal representation.