STRONG — Residents voted 124-61 Thursday to submit a notice of intent to withdraw from Maine School Administrative District 58.

The notice will be sent to the district’s board of directors and to the commissioner of the Maine Department of Education.

Town officials will be able to get information to see if withdrawal will be in the best interest of the town and its schoolchildren.

The district serves Avon, Kingfield, Phillips and Strong. Several towns and unorganized townships pay tuition for students to go to school in the district.

A committee of Strong residents will be formed to do the withdrawal research and present their findings to residents.

Strong held a public hearing April 28 on the matter after residents turned in a petition asking selectmen to start the process of withdrawal. There is a 22-step process to withdraw, followed by another town vote.

Phillips residents also passed a petition to ask selectmen to start the process. A public hearing was held May 5. A vote to consider sending a letter of intent to MSAD 58 directors and the state commissioner of education is set from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 20 at the Phillips Town Office at 124 Main St.

Kingfield residents have started to collect signatures on a petition to ask the Select Board to start the process of withdrawal, Town Manager Leanna Targett said Friday.

Avon residents have also started to collect signatures to ask the board to start the process, Select Board Chairperson Jane Thorndike said Friday.