Over the past few months I have had the pleasure of talking with many residents of the Fairhope community. I’ve enjoyed meeting several times with the Honorable Tim Kant, Fairhope’s hardworking mayor, who is passionate about Fairhope. I have enjoyed, too, talking individually with other city council members.

I am amazed by the work of the Fairhope Educational Enrichment Foundation which is exemplary on a national scale. I have also had the pleasure of meeting with many Fairhope parents, visiting with teachers and most enjoyably, chatting with students.

I have sensed from every person, students as well as adults, an enormous amount of pride and accomplishment. In fact, our teachers have shared with me how some of their predecessors have invested their entire careers into what they described as outstanding Fairhope schools.

While I’ve only been superintendent in Baldwin County since July, I have seen many schools in my more than 35 years in education. I realize that the level of success Fairhope schools and schools in the county enjoy only happens when there is an enormous spirit of cooperation and involvement by all stakeholders who have a common goal and vision.

Uncertainty and difficult times bring people even closer, especially when our children’s education is at stake. In fact, the major reason that I chose to move to Baldwin County was because I saw this spirit of togetherness when the citizens voted overwhelmingly to tax themselves to support our students and teachers.

In deciding to relocate to Baldwin County, I was confident that communities that believed in public education to the degree as those here would also be open to creative and innovative ideas to offer our students even more educational opportunities. I have already found that to be the case, and with the help of many people, I am striving to lead our outstanding schools to even greater success.

Fairhope is one of the few communities in the nation that has the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, what has been described as “the gold standard of public education”. Fairhope has more than $40 million in new school facilities that offer the very best learning environment. Teachers, such as Megan O’Neill at Fairhope High School, recognized by the President of the United States last year for outstanding accomplishments in science instruction, continue to help put our school system and Fairhope schools on the educational map.

Have Fairhope schools suffered because of the recession? Absolutely. Right now every school system in America finds itself in the same predicament: needs are great and resources are slim.

I applaud anyone who is interested in taking an intense look at the operational costs of schools. Dr. Ira Harvey, who was hired by the City of Fairhope to do an independent financial study of schools in Fairhope, has concluded that more than $2 million in additional revenue will be needed annually to continue to provide the existing level of services should Fairhope embark on its own with a city school system. Further, a determination would have to be made how to serve more than 1,500 Fairhope students who reside outside of the city limits. The breadth of the service area would, of course, increase the cost, as would factors such as how many special education services would be required. While each of these issues could probably be worked through, the time and expense of doing so would be monumental and no one, not even Dr. Harvey, can calculate that the benefits to students would be better than they are today. Most assuredly, no parent wants to lose a beat in their child’s education while experts sort out these complex issues.

It is extremely important to point out that a city school system cannot separate itself from the No Child Left Behind federal mandate, Alabama’s antiquated tax structure, unfair “equity funding” calculations or the Alabama K-12 Education Budget which continues to be regularly reduced. When budgets are cut, all school systems, including city systems, have to decide whether school services should be decreased or whether the citizens will pick up the funding deficit through increased taxes.

The future economically is unclear at best. What I am certain of, however, is that nobody’s desire to have the best schools in the world is stronger than mine. I share the passion of our education coalition that has launched the “Yes We Can” conversations in Fairhope and throughout the county. This is an outstanding opportunity for all residents of the county to help paint the picture of what we want our children’s educational future to be. Without question, we can do more together than we can individually. I certainly do not want to lose a single advocate for outstanding education in every region of the county, and I will always advocate that together is better.

I hope that now that the report has been completed that Fairhope residents will ask that the discussion regarding a separate school system end. In addition, I will respectfully decline an invitation to participate in any forum that supports division of our schools or school system and instead I plan to focus my attention on supporting the “Yes We Can” initiative that is bringing our county together in an unprecedented manner in the best interest of all our children.

I would also urge those who haven’t participated in the education coalition’s “Yes We Can” initiative to do so. Together we will chart the course so that our young people have the very best education possible.

Alan T. Lee

Superintendent