LIVERMORE FALLS — Regional School Unit 73 Superintendent Kenneth Healey on Thursday night pitched his plan to have all pre-kindergarten to second grades housed in Livermore and all third to fifth grades housed in Jay.
His presentation to the school board came as he rolled out his proposed $18.84 million budget for 2016-17. The figure is $191,541 less than this fiscal year’s spending plan. He said the grade reconfigurations were the primary focus of budget considerations.
Healey said that while consolidation of grades may result in program efficiencies, it’s the educational benefit to students that’s most important.
“Doing the right thing is not always the easiest thing,” he said.
The superintendent said the change would allow all Spruce Mountain students to grow up and be educated together and would provide academic continuity and greater opportunities for staff communication. It would also remove perceptions of bias.
The school board would decide whether to approve the plan, Healey said.
Livermore Elementary School, which currently educates all district pre-kindergartners and kindergarten through grade five students from Livermore and Livermore Falls, would be renamed Spruce Mountain Primary School.
Jay Elementary School, which educates kindergarten through grade five students, would be renamed Spruce Mountain Elementary School.
It was estimated that some students might have 10-minute-longer bus rides while others would have shorter rides.
School board member Joel Pike of Jay said, “I want to see a lot more detail.”
He questioned the bus travel times and asked about the “possibilities, maybes and future year savings.”
Three years ago, when the issue was first discussed, several meetings were held to get the public’s input, he said. “I applaud you for looking for efficiencies, but the process was flawed,” he told Healey, because the plan was not presented to the community and the school board before Thursday.
Board member Tammy Frost of Livermore Falls said reconfiguring the pre-kindergarten, junior high and high school grades has worked out for a lot of students in the district.
Board member Holly Richards of Livermore said as a parent she liked the thought of her child starting with his peers from the get-go and not having to wait years to meet some of them.
The preliminary budget numbers reflect five retirements, $400,000 less in subsidies and $150,000 more for salaries and benefits.
Board member Shari Ouellette of Jay said she was disappointed that specific cuts weren’t requested, given the millions of dollars in tax-abatement requests and the bankruptcy filing by Verso paper mill in Jay.
Healey said that instead of targeted cuts he instructed the administrative team to look for efficiencies to avoid eliminating teaching positions.
Judy Diaz of Jay asked about the money left from the new elevator at the high school and new bleachers at Griffin Field.
Voters approved $275,000 for the elevator and $108,000 for the bleachers in the 2015-16 budget last June. The actual cost was $221,000 for the elevator and $85,000 for the bleachers.
“If the money for the elevator and bleachers is taken out, we’re spending more,” Diaz said.
Business Manager Michele Coates said the extra would be used to reduce the budget’s impact on the three towns.
Transportation/Maintenance Director Ken Vining suggested cutting $48,000 for diesel fuel and $89,000 for heating oil. His budget includes purchasing three buses. He was asked to provide a list of buses and their mileage to determine how dire the need is.
A subcommittee studying the state’s school funding formula will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Central Office.
The school board will hold a budget meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Spruce Mountain Middle School in Jay. The public is invited to attend.
The budget will be presented to voters Thursday, March 24; the budget validation vote is set for Tuesday, April 26.
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