Support staff pickets School Board
BY ELIZABETH PRATA SALVETTI

Gray--As SAD #15 Board of Directors drove in to Stimson Hall for the February 27 Board meeting, they passed support staff personnel who stood in the rain bearing picket signs and lit candles. The staff, who have been working since last July without a contract, were there to add a visible reminder to the Board that they wanted to resolve the contract issue. Negotiation representatives from both sides were to have a fact-finding session the next day on as one of the last available strategies to resolve the long-standing contract issues, mostly centering around proposed cuts in health care benefits.

The one hundred or so bus drivers, maintenance staff, cafeteria personnel, education technicians, parents, and community members held umbrellas over their lit candles to protect them from the rain. They waved picket signs bearing messages such as, "$$$ for the Superintendent, pennies for the support staff" as Board members walked in.

Board Chair Sarah McCleary invited members to speak during the meeting’s "citizen comments" portion of the agenda. As the start time for the meeting neared, the picketers filed in, rested their signs against the back wall, and silently sat down, filling the hall.

Many did speak at the meeting, slowly approaching the podium, stating their name, and addressing the Board quietly but forcefully. New Gloucester Selectman Bob Leighton spoke on behalf of his wife, Beverly, who has been an employee with the District as an Ed Tech for twelve years. "The people on the bottom lose all the time," he said. "They should have the same share that teachers do. They’re all citizens of the community, they shouldn’t be reduced because they’re on the bottom."

Russell School third grader Robbie Morency said, "I read in the paper [The Monument] that Frank [Hallowell] doesn’t have a contract and I’d really like him to get one because he’s my best adult friend in school and he’s really nice."
Mona Farrell said that as a volunteer working in the school system, it is her estimation that "people have been demoralized around the issues of compensation and pay equity."

North Yarmouth resident Jim Moulton said, "My wife works here. This looks like a fairness issue to me. They are dedicated people and to say to them that you’re going to fool with their compensation when it’s my understanding that people up the line get full compensation, or even payment for not taking compensation, what does that say to them?"

After about a dozen or so people spoke, citizen comments appeared finished. McCleary then said, "We value our support staff, we couldn’t run the schools without them. I have to say that no matter how tense negotiations have gotten, it has never gotten in the way of their job performance. I’m not upset at all about the big turnout. I am thrilled to see the community’s support on this issue."
The Superintendent reported that the Board will be continuing to work on several policies, Student Code of Conduct and the Therapeutic Restraint policy. The board deems that therapeutic restraint in selected cases is an acceptable strategy to deter misbehavior. He also reported that the timeline for the Memorial-Russell School renovation project is encroaching quickly. If the State does not share funding with the SAD, then building may commence as soon as fall of 2003. If funding comes through, then building would start fall 2004. The state officials will be walking the schools on March 12 and March 19 to prioritize the project.