On April 6, teachers, staff, parents, and community members from four Casco Bay islands came together to discuss issues facing island schools. The meeting, organized by the Island Institute and held at the Portland offices of Casco Bay Lines, brought together representatives from the schools on Cliff, Chebeague, Long and Peaks. The idea was to provide an open forum for discussion about the unique challenges that island schools face, and to share ideas about how island communities can work together to best provide for their students.
Participants were invited to share their concerns about the state of their schools, and also update each other on strengths and highlights of this school year.
A recurring theme was the difficulty island schools sometimes have in dealing with their larger school districts. Chebeague attendees discussed the recent challenge they faced when Cumberland proposed that the fourth and fifth graders should attend school on the mainland. Several people also voiced concern over the lack of an organized program to help students in their transition from island schools to middle school.
Also of concern was the challenge of meeting current assessment requirements. Teachers were looking to one another for ideas on how to best manage the increased volume of tests and assessments while still having enough teaching time, and discussed how they each juggle the task of teaching multiple grades. The discussion generally was positive, as teachers recognized that many of their frustrations and obstacles were shared by all, and that they could serve as a resource for one another.
Though solutions to such large problems can’t be reached in one evening, those in attendance agreed that better communication would be an important first step. Island schools should help one another confront mounting obstacles, they agreed, and steps should be taken to bring together teachers and students. It was also agreed that island schools should not wait until threatened to ally themselves with one another. If island schools come together to share their positive experiences, they can better prepare as a group to face future challenges.
Anna Rubin is an Island Institute Fellow on Long Island.