TO: All SAU Superintendents in districts with approved RSU or AOS plans
FROM: Commissioner Susan Gendron
RE: Education planning grants and facilitators available
DATE: January 6, 2009
As new Regional School Units, including those with an alternative organizational structure (AOS), begin the work of implementation, school boards, superintendents and other district leaders and staff will face the challenge of creating a unified culture of high expectations for student learning. It is a complex challenge and each RSU will be in a different place with different needs.
I am making available $5,000 education planning grants and the services of a facilitator to reorganized units that choose to use them. New districts can use this money to do the planning needed to bring the people and education programs together into one unified system.
Mary Jane McCalmon will lead the facilitators group. After Mary Jane meets with the RSU to determine their specific needs, RSUs and AOSs will be invited to choose a facilitator to work with them from a list of eligible facilitators on an approved list provided by the Department of Education. The facilitators will be paid by the Department for a period of up to 18 months. Use of these facilitators is entirely voluntary, but to be eligible for planning grants, RSUs and AOSs must make use of a facilitator.
RSUs and AOSs may apply for the grant and for a facilitator after the reorganization plan has been approved by the voters, and the State Board has issued a certificate of organization. Please note that the funds are intended only for units involved in reorganizing into new RSUs or AOSs, not those units with Alternative Plans. An existing SAU that is a member of the RSU should be designated to request, receive and manage the funds on behalf of the RSU. The designated SAU, on behalf of the RSU, may fill out and submit a one-page request form available on the Planning and Resources page of the Reorganization section of our website. The form, as well as additional materials and information can be found at http://www.maine.gov/education/reorg/planning.html
If you have questions, please contact Mary Jane at 754-2906 or mjmccalmon@gmail.com or Tina Mann at 624-6724 or tina.mann@maine.gov .
