RSU 05 board hears parent complaint about music inequities and updates on concerts, coding and mobile bio lab

A Durham resident told the RSU 05 board of directors on Wednesday that he is concerned about differences in music instruction and resources between Durham Community School and Freeport schools and asked the board to look into the disparity. School leaders also briefed the board on recent concerts, a summer coding program for ninth- through eleventh-grade girls, and a visit by the Maine Mobile Bio Lab.

Andrew Reagan, introduced himself as “a resident here at Durham,” and during the public-comment period said parents see “inequities of the music program, and arts in general, between Durham and the Freeport schools.” He said the gap shows up in time spent and instruction quality and asked the board to “look at this a little further.” Reagan also recounted a past classroom accommodation for one of his sons with cerebral palsy, saying the boy “got put to the back of the class to play drums because he couldn't play the recorder,” and described that as upsetting.

The district’s staff gave multiple updates that relate to arts and enrichment. A staff presenter identified as Moon noted an application deadline of April 11 for a summer coding program for ninth- through eleventh-grade girls; Moon said the program runs in multiple sessions, including July 7–18 and July 28–August 8, and described it as an opportunity for girls to “solve real world problems with coding.” Moon also announced the Freeport Community Library’s annual student art exhibit, sponsored by the Freeport Woman's Club, running through April with juried awards.

Administrator Will (identified in the meeting as Will) described the return of spring concerts across grade levels and noted that community events have drawn full houses. He said the University of Maine Symphonic Band toured and performed for the school, and that the district has been expanding science opportunities for students. Will reported that third- through sixth-grade teachers have been engaged in professional development with the Maine Math and Science Alliance to align new units with state science standards and next-generation science standards.

Will reviewed the Maine Mobile Bio Lab visit, which he said provided hands-on modules across several focus areas. Examples he described include an investigation into lactose and enzyme activity, an “All Inside Your Head” unit on Newton’s laws and concussion mechanisms, a water-quality module testing temperature and dissolved oxygen, and a micropipette challenge that emphasized lab accuracy. Will said seventh graders have used intertidal crab units and that student research was presented at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute student research symposium.

Will offered to follow up with Andrew Reagan about the music concerns, and Moon and other staff said they would share enrollment of extracurricular and program participation data as available.

The board did not take formal action on program funding or staffing at the meeting.

The discussion—public comment followed by staff reports—left open the district’s next steps: staff said they will follow up with the parent and provide more program details on request.