FARMINGTON — RSU 9 school directors took no action Tuesday on a request to accept high school students from Kingfield, should the state and the town’s voters approve withdrawing from SAD 58.
RSU 9 Superintendent Tom Ward recommended the board hold off on making a decision because the Kingfield Withdrawal Committee is in the beginning stages the withdrawal processing.
Regional School Unit 9 also includes the towns of Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vineyard, Starks, Temple, Vienna, Weld and Wilton.
Kingfield is a member of RSU 58, which also includes Avon, Strong and Phillips. In May, Eustis residents voted 213-6 to leave the the school system.
Ward said he received a request from Fulton Ryan, a member of the Kingfield Withdrawal Committee, to consider allowing Kingfield to pay tuition for its high school students to attend Mt. Blue High School in Farmington.
Kingfield currently has 38 students in grades nine through 12, and average between 15-20 students each grade, Ward said.
“They have not petitioned to withdraw,” he said.
They would have to petition the state Department of Education commissioner and put a certain amount of money for legal expenses during the process, he said.
The commissioner would have to approve the petition for the town to hold a vote and establish a formal withdrawal committee to set up a withdrawal plan.
If Kingfield were to withdraw, a school unit would need to be formed and a superintendent hired. The town would be responsible to pay for transportation of its students to Mt. Blue in Farmington or to the nearest RSU 9 bus stop, Ward said.
Ward asked high school Principal Monique Poulin if there would be room for Kingfield students.
“I think we have the capacity,” she said, but would need extra funds for staff.
Board Vice Chairwoman Claire Andrews said it would be good to wait to see how the Mt. Blue campus works during the first year. The district is completing a three-year $64 million renovation and addition at the high school and Foster Career and Technical Education Center, which are part of the complex. The classrooms are intermingled this year. District taxpayers are responsible for about $3 million of the project.
In other school news, Leanne Condon, assistant superintendent and director of curriculum, said Tuesday, the day before school started, that student numbers are up.
W.G. Mallett in Farmington has an increase of 34 students, she said. The high school has an increase of 36 students, Cascade Brook School in Farmington has an increase of 27 and enrollment at Cape Cod Hill School in New Sharon is up about nine.
Those numbers could change as families move in and out, Condon said.
There will be firmer numbers to report at the next meeting in September.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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