Wells-Ogunquit Community School District
History
The district was created by the Maine Legislature in 1980 when Ogunquit was incorporated as a town. (Prior to that, Ogunquit had been a village within the town of Wells.)
Throughout 2008 and 2009, in an effort to comply with the state's 2008 school consolidation law, the district attempted to find another district to merge with, in order to form a Regional school unit. Wells-Ogunquit explored merging with MSAD 71 (Kennebunk-Kennebunkport), as well as the York and Kittery school departments, but was unable to reach an agreement with any of them. Wells-Ogunquit submitted a waiver application to the state, which was rejected. The state then recommended that Wells-Ogunquit merge with the Acton School Department, despite the substantial geographic distance between Acton and the Wells-Ogunquit area. Under the pressure of a deadline from the state, the towns of Acton, Ogunquit, and Wells held referendums to determine whether voters would approve or deny the consolidation. Voters in all three towns rejected the plan. Under the consolidation law, Wells-Ogunquit is therefore allowed to remain a "stand-alone" district with no penalty.
Governance
The district is governed by a school committee, which consists of six elected at-large members: three from Ogunquit and three from Wells. Committee members serve for three-year terms. The votes of Wells committee members are weighted more heavily than the votes of Ogunquit committee members, in order to reflect the population difference between the two towns.
Schools and Programs
Current
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- Wells Elementary School provides classes for students in Kindergarten through fourth grade. 2011–2012 enrollment: 478 students.
- Wells Junior High School provides classes for students in fifth grade through eighth grade. 2011–2012 enrollment: 449 students.
- Wells High School provides classes for students in ninth grade through twelfth grade. 2011–2012 enrollment: 432 students.
- Wells-Ogunquit Adult Community Education, located on the premises of Wells High School, provides adult education classes for adults of all ages.
Closed
- Ogunquit Village School provided classes for Ogunquit students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. In 2004 it was closed due to declining enrollment and high maintenance costs, and Ogunquit's elementary students were transferred to Wells Elementary School.
See also
References
- ^ "Budget Information - Wells-Ogunquit CSD".
- ^ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Wells-Ogunquit CSD". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
- ^ Delaney Angus, Linda (September 15, 2011). "WOCSD board hears update on WHS field". York County Coast Star. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
On the first day of school this year, there were 478 students at Wells Elementary School, down five students from last school year; 449 students at Wells Junior High, down by nine students from last year; and 432 at Wells High School, an increase of four students over last year. That totals 1,359 students within the district.
- ^ Kanak, Jim (November 21, 2008). "Wells-Ogunquit School District to seek consolidation with Acton". York County Coast Star. Seacoast Media Group. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
Wells-Ogunquit has failed in attempts to merge with MSAD 71 (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel) and York. The WOCSD briefly discussed forming an AOS with Kittery at the Department of Education's suggestion, but neither district saw much hope in consolidating so the talks quickly ended.
- ^ Bodnar, Steve (April 9, 2009). "Wells-Ogunquit schools to stand alone". York County Coast Star. Seacoast Media Group. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
After a long struggle to reorganize under the state's school consolidation law, the Maine Department of Education has determined that the WOCSD meets the state requirements to stand as its own district. The approval came just a week after voters from Wells, Ogunquit and Acton, during a March 24 referendum, overwhelmingly rejected plans for a so-called Alternative Organizational Structure that would have streamlined the Acton and WOCSD administrations, creating a joint school committee.
- ^ "WOCSD By-Laws" (PDF). Wells-Ogunquit Community School District. Retrieved December 4, 2011.