DIXFIELD — The RSU 10 board unanimously voted Monday night to hire Planning Decisions of Portland to help determine future use of buildings.

The company will conduct a survey at a cost of up to $2,500 and present results to the board, which will consider potential changes in the district’s buildings.

Superintendent Tom Ward said the study is expected to take about three to four weeks. The start date is contingent upon when the company can begin work.

Ward said if a school is recommended for closure, the process must begin by early December if the school is to be closed for the 2013-14 school year.

The building mentioned most often for possible closure is Rumford Elementary School. Other buildings that may also be considered include the Pennacook Learning Center, formerly known as Virginia Elementary School in Rumford; the former Dixfield Elementary School and current district central office and high school classroom space; and Dirigo Middle School in Dixfield. All buildings would not be closed.

Neither the Hartford-Sumner Elementary School nor Buckfield Junior-Senior High School are being considered for closure because one serves prekindergarten through sixth grade, and the other, grades seven to 12. Once a plan is finalized, however, some students from Canton or another nearby area may be sent to those schools.

Ward said the study will ensure accurate information whenever changes are made.

“This will help with student numbers by region. We may have to redraw some boundary lines,” he said.

The board and administration is concentrating on a two-year timeline, he said.

Changes expected to happen soon include moving the bus garage out of Mountain Valley High School in Rumford to an as-yet unknown new location and aligning all three high schools in the region for common graduation requirements and a common system of semesters or trimesters. Besides Mountain Valley High School are Dirigo High School in Dixfield and Buckfield Junior-Senior High School.

DIXFIELD — The RSU 10 board Monday night readmitted a former Dirigo High School boy.

The boy had been expelled in February for being involved in an assault.

Superintendent Tom Ward said the boy kept up with his studies through a tutor during the months he was out of school. He also completed community service, underwent a risk assessment and attended counseling.

In other matters Monday, the board agreed to start charging the same admittance fee for adults and students who attend any night high school game as is charged for night football games. Those gate fees are $4 for adults and $2 for students.

A $2 admission fee will be charged for adults and students who attend middle school night games.

The fees are to cover the higher costs of electricity and security.

Several last-minute resignations were received due to late retirements or employees finding other positions closer to their homes. These include Dirigo High School special education educational technician Judy Gammon, Buckfield Junior-Senior High School business/technology teacher Christopher Aube, Mountain Valley Region speech and language pathologist Debra Borchardt, Mountain Valley Middle School music teacher Dan Labonte, Dirigo High School special education educational technician Betty Simanek, and Dirigo Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Karen Thurston.

Ward said some of these positions will likely be filled by long-term substitutes.

Several new teachers were also hired, including Charlie Nielsen as a half-time English teacher at Dirigo High School, Deb Berman as a three-fifths time speech and language therapist for the Buckfield and Sumner schools, Laura Columbia as a Mountain Valley High School math and science teacher, Tanya McPherson as a special education middle school teacher for the Pennacook Learning Center, and Scott Dunbar as a Dirigo Elementary School music teacher.