DIXFIELD – SAD 21 Superintendent Tom Ward on Monday unveiled a tentative plan that would reconfigure the student population if efforts to merge Peru with the school district are successful.

“All the students (of a specific age group) would be together,” he said of the plan. It would also relieve any potential overcrowding in all of the schools.

As proposed, the current Dixfield Elementary School would house youngsters in grades four through six. Now, students in kindergarten through grade four go to class there. An addition costing as estimated $3 million would be needed for the expected 240 students.

Grades kindergarten through three, and possibly a pre-kindergarten program, would attend a new school. About 320 students are estimated to enroll.

The current Dirigo Middle School, which now houses grades five through eight, would be changed to include all 240 students in grades seven through nine. And the high school would serve about 240 students in grades 10 through 12. Right now, students in grades nine through 12 attend Dirigo High School.

This tentative plan is dependent upon the merger with Peru and construction of a new school. Once the new school is built, Canton Elementary School would be closed and young students from that town would attend the new facility.

Whether this new plan will actually happen has many hurdles to clear.

Ward said residents of Peru must first vote to merge with SAD 21. That vote will be taken in the spring. If Peru residents approve, then the three member towns in SAD 21 would vote on accepting Peru about a month later. Public hearings for both votes will be held before either of the elections.

If the merger is approved, Ward said the state will fund a new elementary school at an estimated cost of $10 million and a Dixfield Elementary School addition at an estimated cost of $3 million.

“The merger would impact the entire district,” he said. “We’ve got to look at the big picture, the (projected) declining enrollment by 2010. Peru needs us and we need them.”

Maine Department of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron is expected to meet with the Peru School Committee and the SAD 21 Board of Directors sometime within the next few weeks to discuss the merger, building project and cost sharing among towns.

“We’re heading in the right direction and we’ll keep a positive note,” said Ward. If all goes as outlined, the new configuration of classes could begin in the fall of 2007.

In other matters on Monday, the board approved the purchase of a new, 84-passenger school bus at a cost of $66,568 over a three-year period. They also set a district goals workshop with facilitator Dick Babb of The Center, in Auburn, for Oct. 27.

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