POLAND — The RSU 16 committee on Monday scheduled a meeting for Dec. 5 to begin work on the 2012-13 next year’s budget.

The move comes less than a week after voters approved the 2011-12 budget on Nov. 8. Chairman Mary Ella Jones publicly thanked the Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland residents for supporting the budget.

Superintendent Dennis Duquette called for the budget subcommittee to meet Dec. 5 to begin the cycle anew. He noted that the subcommittee’s task is more than simply establishing the dollar amount, but it must also figure out how best to improve the education offered to students.

He also said that the town budget committees will be brought into the budget-setting process at the beginning.

The School Committee also learned that the district will be losing its curriculum coordinator at the end of November.

Duquette said Gary Chapin will be going on loan to the Department of Education in Augusta for two, or possibly, three years. A search for his replacement will begin immediately, he said.

Duquette noted that one of Chapin’s most significant accomplishments was that the district’s prekindergarten through grade six students are now being taught the same things.

The School Committee also heard a presentation from Darren Carter, coordinator of the district’s wellness team. Carter will be coordinating services provided by the district’s school nurses, and the food service and physical eduction programs.

His initial focus is on exercise, nutrition and smoking cessation, and he would be looking into securing grants for programs aimed at curbing substance abuse.

Business Manager Rick Kusturin reported that, at $55 per ton, the contract for wood chips will result in cutting fuel expenses for the boiler heating the high and middle schools to between a quarter and a third what it would have cost for oil.

Poland Regional High School Principal Cari Medd told the committee she would be developing a proposal to install cameras in the school parking lot.

Medd will also be working with the policy subcommittee on the question of class rank and whether to continue the tradition of class valedictorian and salutatorian.