Thornton Academy and City of Saco extend negotiations one year

With the new school year set to begin in just a few days, the city of Saco and Thornton Academy have tentatively agreed to extend their current contract one more year while both parties attempt to hammer out a new five-year contract.

Thornton Academy is a private school that has served as Saco’s high school since the 1800s.

Saco Bay News obtained a July 9 email written by Saco School Superintendent Jeremy Ray, sent to Rene Menard, the headmaster at Thornton Academy, and Eric Purvis, president of Thornton’s Board of Trustees.

In that email, Ray raised several concerns about the contract renewal. Those concerns, Ray said, were a summary of feedback he has received from the Saco School Board, the Saco City Council and Saco’s representatives on the negotiating committee.

One of the primary concerns raised by Saco’s negotiating team revolves upon issues of transparency and a desire to be more involved in the decision-making process for the city’s high school students.

The existing contract between Saco and Thornton Academy expired on June 30. Both parties began negotiating for a new contract in March.

Both Menard and Ray said they are hopeful about reaching consensus on a new contract, but they also say there are some “ongoing issues” that will need to be resolved.

In the opening line of his e-mail to Thornton Academy, Ray wrote “I want to emphasize that there's a strong consensus on Thornton Academy's importance as Saco's primary source for secondary education.”

“We deeply appreciate the Academy's historic role in our community and its continued commitment to our students.”

When contacted Monday afternoon, Menard shared a similar sentiment. “We have a shared, vested interest with the city of Saco,” he said. “We’re talking about a 200-year relationship, and ultimately – we all want what is best for Saco students.”

Other concerns raised by Saco’s negotiating team include a spike in tuition proposed by Thornton Academy after Saco voters had already approved the city’s school budget.

According to Ray, Thornton Academy presented Saco with a proposed $1.5 million tuition increase.

“Given that the School Department cannot deficit spend, any movement in that direction would require an extraordinary action of the [city] council,” Ray said.

Menard said state guidelines allow private schools to negotiate increases up to 15 percent above current levels. Thornton Academy, he said, is entering negotiations below that 15 percent number, at a proposed 10 percent increase.

“We recognize that it’s complicated and part of a long tradition,” Ray said. “No one is trying to take that away. We’re just trying to make sure that we are representing the citizens and the students in a negotiation that involves an annual cost of roughly $17 million.”

Another major concern highlighted by Saco’s negotiating team includes the issues of a new state law that requires all public schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to their students.

Because Thornton Academy is a private school and does not receive federal subsidies, the school is exempt from that requirement.

The Maine Legislature passed bipartisan legislation, known as School Meals for All, in 2021.

Prior to that legislative change, many public schools offered free lunches to students whose families fell below 130 percent of the federal poverty rate.

Although Thornton Academy is exempt from the new legislation, Menard said his school has “doubled-down” on the federal standard and offers free meal to any student whose family falls within 260 percent of the federal poverty rate.

“I can assure you, with absolute confidence, that no Thornton Academy student will ever go hungry,” Menard stressed, pointing out that his school has a team of counselors, nurses and other professionals always ready to help students in need.

Menard said he understands that Saco does not have unlimited funds, but said Thornton Academy is providing a high-quality education for students that is well below the per-pupil costs in all of the city’s public schools.

“Because we are a private school, we don’t have to go to the city’s voters for capital improvement bonds that benefit our students,” Menard said. “Next month, we will be breaking ground on a new $13 million field house that will be a benefit to all of our students.”

Saco’s negotiating team, however, wants more transparency regarding Thornton’s budget, including debt service and more detailed information about the private school’s operating budget.

The city also wants more details about Thornton’s academic curriculum and instructor qualifications and student composition.

Menard said he appreciated the tone and tenor of Ray’s summary email, and said he is looking forward to working with the city to develop and implement a new contract.

Members of Saco’s negotiating committee include Saco School Board members Beth Johnston, Jen Preble and Kevin Roche. Saco City Councilors Phil Hatch and Nathan Johnston also serve on the committee along with Saco parent Carrie Woodcock.

Randy Seaver is a freelance writer living in Biddeford. He is a former newspaper reporter and editor and is the principal of a small strategic communications firm. He can be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com