LIVERMORE FALLS — All students in RSU 73 will be released early Wednesday, Dec. 19, so faculty, staff and administrators at Spruce Mountain High School, Livermore Elementary School and Jay Elementary School can continue to work on course or class changes for the next school year.

Staff at Spruce Mountain Middle School will work on other educational topics.

In case of a storm day Wednesday, early release day will be Thursday, Dec. 20.

Acting Principal Chris Hollingsworth at the high school in Jay said a mock sign-up for course choices for school year 2013-14 is important because the school, which will likely be serving all RSU 73 secondary students next year, needs to know what classes are needed.

“We want to try to get back some of the electives,” he said.

Interim Principal Steve Leunig at the high school in Livermore Falls agreed.

“It’s critical at this juncture to have the programs sequenced out,” he said. “This will give us some guidelines. We can’t take the two schedules (of the two campuses) and put them together.”

Superintendent Robert Wall said the schedule that will be developed will likely be close to the actual course offerings on the one campus next year.

“Schedules make a difference. We want variety available,” he said.

Course choice by students within the next month or so is also important to the development of the 2013-14 operating budget, administrators added.

At the elementary level, some programs must be aligned with each other in the district’s two schools.

Robert Kahler, principal of Livermore Elementary School, said the approach to mathematics education in the two elementary schools is very different.

“We sorely need the time to take the top five programs (and decide) the most proven, effective program,” he said.

In other matters Thursday, the board extended the contract for Wall until June 30, 2014, at the same salary as he has received since 2008. That figure is $91,219 per year.

In other salary matters, Thomas Plourde of Jay, who was hired as the first principal of the combined north and south campuses of Spruce Mountain High School, will receive $82,000 for school year 2013-14, and a prorated portion of that figure when he begins work March 4 at the Jay campus. He was granted a two-year contract. The salary for school year 2014-15 will be set at a later date.

Steve Leunig, interim south campus principal, is under contract to work until June 30, 2013.