Thornton Academy and Saco School Department give contrasting views of contract negotiations

The Saco Superintendent of Schools has rebutted claims made by the Thornton Academy Headmaster that the school department wants students to attend other high schools in the region.

Thornton Academy is a private high school in Saco with a mix of publicly-funded and private-pay students. Saco students attend Thornton Academy through public funding, negotiated by the Saco School Board and the academy.

Thornton Academy Headmaster Rene Menard sent a letter today, June 9, to parents and guardians of Thornton high school students.

“The negotiating team for the Saco School Board has drawn a line in the sand, and we are at risk of not having a contract for next year. They no longer want an agreement that guarantees every Saco high school student attends Thornton Academy,” said Menard in the letter.

Thornton Academy has served as Saco’s high school for more than 200 years. Menard said in the letter that Thornton’s top priority in negotiations with the Saco School Board is to preserve its role as Saco’s high school.

“But the negotiating team for the city has made it clear that its top priority is to allow Saco students to attend other high schools in the region, ending the special relationship and partnership between Thornton Academy and Saco,” said Menard.

Without a new contract, there will be fewer Saco students at Thornton, and the school will be forced to make changes in its programing, he said.

Saco Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray wrote a letter later today in response to Menard’s letter. Ray said that the school department has faithfully honored the confidentiality both sides agreed to in the negotiation process.

He said the school department is disappointed that there have been public conversations about the negotiations the day before a school board meeting,

“We want Thornton Academy to remain Saco's high school. TA has served our city for more than 200 years, and that partnership is one we value deeply,” said Ray.

Ray said that the surrounding schools do not have the capacity to absorb all of Saco’s high school students.

“I also want to correct, plainly, the central claim in TA's letter, the idea that the Saco School Department would be able to shift students to other school departments. That is not true. The district is not moving anyone anywhere,” said Ray.

The Saco School Board meeting will be held at 7 p.m., June 10 at Saco City hall.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.