Kennebec Intra-District Schools

Wait a minute. If the RSU 2 budget is increasing by 3%, why is the bill to each town increasing by 7%-9.5%? It is very frustrating! We have worked hard to keep the budget reasonable, but our towns increase is higher. How could that be? Two reasons: - The state (not the school district) has a formula that determines how much each town pays. The formula caused an increase in what taxpayers must pay based on changes in mil rate threshold and real estate values. Because the real estate values increased, the state expects towns to contribute more. - No more unspent funds: Last year, we used $500,000 in unspent funds to reduce the amount towns pay. This acted like a one-year credit eliminating the impact of about 1.7% of the increase in the budget last year. Therefore, this year taxpayers need to pay the full amount of the current year’s budget plus the increase in costs in 21-22 for the same programing. This happens every year. Last year for example, the % increases to each municipality was still 3-5%, even after the $500,000 credit was applied. The separate percentages for the town and the RSU budget are not apples-to-apples comparable. The increase in allocation % is the change in town allocation dollar value as a percentage of the previous year’s total allocation for each town. Those percentages will always be higher. View full FAQ here: https://5il.co/sewt

How much is RSU 2’s budget increasing? 3%. Why? We did our best to keep our budget reasonable and responsible. Our goal is to provide the best education for our kids without asking too much of our taxpayers. That is a hard balance, particularly because many of the increased costs are beyond our control. Here are a few reasons why the budget has increased: - Flat funding from the state: Even though many of our costs are going up, state funding to RSU 2 has remained essentially the same. - Increased teacher salaries: We have been working to raise teacher salaries, both because the state has required it and because we want to attract and retain top teachers. Our budget honors the annual salary increases that the current contract with teachers and all other union staff require. Candidate pool shortages are also leading to hiring of more staff with experience which means higher levels on the pay scales. - Increased insurance costs: Liability, property and vehicle insurances are increasing 18-22%, and more employees are electing higher health insurance coverage levels, which means that the district must pay more for its share of insurance costs. - Inflation: The costs of many supplies and equipment are going up. (Ask any contractor about the price of 2X4s these days!) View full FAQ here: https://5il.co/sewt

How are communities involved in developing the school budget? We encourage town officials and the public to get involved in the budget process. All our Board meetings (including committee meetings) are posted and open to public, and in the Superintendent and Business Manager initiate meetings with town managers and other officials to hear challenges towns are facing, concerns, answer questions, and provide information on the proposed budget. The budget usually goes through several drafts before it gets approved by the board. View full FAQ here: https://5il.co/sew1

Planning for full-time in-person learning in the fall: https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/456375

SCHOOL LUNCH HERO FRIDAY 5/7/21! Please help us by showing gratitude for these heroes! https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/455183

Help celebrate our wonderful school nurses tomorrow! https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/454258?org=district

How does the RSU 2 budget get developed? https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/454126 View full FAQ here: https://5il.co/samp

Happy School Administrator Appreciation Day! https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/451018?org=district

COVID Update 4-28-21 Since our last update three weeks ago, there have been 11 positive cases reported district-wide. Contact tracing was required for only 2 of those, one of which was reported yesterday by Dresden Elementary School. In the contact tracing cases, all close contacts were notified with quarantine instructions, and no school-wide scheduling changes were required. Thank you again for the continued efforts to follow the safety measures. As always, please use the daily health screener, and stay home if you are sick.

Appreciation and Gratitude! If you have a moment, please take the opportunity next week to thank and appreciate our excellent school staff during staff appreciation week. 5/1 - National Principal Appreciation Day 5/4- National Teacher Appreciation Day 5/6- National School Nurse Appreciation Day 5/7- National School Lunch Hero Day Kind words mean so much to these caring generous people.

Contact Tracing underway at DES 4-15-21 After being notified of one positive case today, calls are being made to close contacts. All Dresden Elementary PreK and Kindergarten students will be remote learning tomorrow. Please continue to use the daily health screener and stay home if you are sick.

Child Care Subsidy Available https://5il.co/rkrd

CONTACT TRACING at MA 4-11-21 We just received word of a new positive case associated with Monmouth Academy. Contact tracing calls will continue to be made throughout the day tomorrow. Due to the impact on staffing, all MA students will be fully remote next week. All students should login to their classes at the regularly scheduled time. Principal Amero will be sending an email and any necessary updates as well. Please continue to use the daily health screener, and stay home if you are sick. Over break, we hope you get as much rest as you can and enjoy the outdoors.

School Safety https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/436264

SHORT SCHOOL CALENDAR SURVEY https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/435274

COVID Case Update 4-7-21 In the past two weeks, there have been 5 positive test results reported district-wide to our nurses. Only two required contact tracing, and those required to quarantine were notified immediately. None of the situations required a change to the regular school schedules. Please continue to remain diligent with our safety protocols of mask wearing, physical distancing, and staying home if you have symptoms. Working together helps keep our schools open. Thank you for all you are already doing! In case you have not heard, today is the date that all residents of Maine age 16 and older become eligible for a vaccine. Even if you do not have insurance, if you want a vaccine there are no cost options if you wish to receive a vaccine. See https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines for more information.

Kudos to staff and students who handled an incident well today in Richmond. Staff and students are safe, and were kept safe, despite an incident that occurred requiring support from our local police department. To protect the privacy rights of those impacted, we can not provide any more detail. The response to the situation was safe and swift. Policies were followed, and the procedures required for follow up will be implemented. Support is being provided to those directly impacted. Thank you for your support and understanding in these matters.

RENTAL ASSISTANCE for eligible families https://www.kidsrsu.org/article/433415

What is special about April? Two special themes are celebrated nation-wide this month. Educators and parents use their influence to inspire love and kindness with purposeful action each April. Earth Month for ideas visit this link: https://askhrgreen.org/50-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day-during-social-distancing/ Community Service Month for ideas visit this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/nonprofit/social-distance-service-project-ideas.cfm

Today is National Doctors Day. Thank one for all they have done for us during these especially difficult times.