Ogunquit News
Ogunquit students prepare to return to school in Wells
By C. Ayn Douglass
Ogunquit student Jason Pelletier is ready for the first day of school on Sept. 6 at Wells Junior High School. He and his mom, Sharma Damren, administrative assistant for the Ogunquit Police Department, have shopped for school supplies, seen here, as well as new school clothes and are looking forward to opening day. Jason has experienced firsthand the changes Ogunquit officials are exploring in terms of its educational program for local students. After attending Ogunquit Village School until fourth grade, he found himself in Wells when OVS was closed. The biggest difference, Jason said, is that there were 10 students in his OVS class and now the classes number 20 or so students each.
Photo by C. Ayn Douglass
OGUNQUIT - As the first day of school approaches, the town of Ogunquit continues to search for the best school system in which to enroll its school-age children.
For now, at least, they will return to the Wells Elementary, Junior High and High School.
Meetings between Ogunquit and York in early August resulted in both sides agreeing to work towards an agreement to meld the less than 50 Ogunquit students into the York school system, although such issues as transportation and a possible use of the Ogunquit Village School remain unresolved.
A meeting between Wells and Ogunquit scheduled last Tuesday, Aug. 14, in Wells to discuss the funding formula prescribed by the state of Maine to incorporate Ogunquit students into the Wells system fizzled as one of the members of the Wells committee was ill and unable attend.
Ogunquit Selectman Jon Speers said he believed it was important that all delegates on both the Wells and Ogunquit committees be present and expected the meeting would be held at a later date.
"The thing is, we have to get out of our deal with Wells and Wells has never said, 'We don't want your children.' Even as tuition students in either town (York or Wells), we have to think of this as a seven- or eight-year plan," Speers said. "There are students who are currently enrolled in Wells, who have made friends there and may not want to move into (the York system)."
The York School Committee is tentatively scheduled to take action on recommendations from its Ogunquit Subcommittee on accepting Ogunquit's students on a tuition basis to York's schools in October. Action was postponed to that time, York Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione explained, to allow Ogunquit officials time to review the recommendations and respond with suggestions of their own.
Associate Editor Jennifer L. Saunders contributed to this report.
