The mysterious flyer that was distributed urging residents to attend a meeting to discuss the possible closing of the Minot Consolidated School.
MINOT — Controversy continues to swirl around the issue of whether to close Minot Consolidated School and send those students to elementary schools in Mechanic Falls and Poland.
The Community Club, a Minot parent and school staff organization that arranges local events and fundraisers, met Tuesday night but did not discuss the issue as advertised in an Oct. 23 posting on RSU 16 Parents for Freedom of Choice Facebook page.
Whitney King-Buker, administrator for page, said she does not know who created the flyer, which stated “Save Minot Consolidated School.”
The flyer carried a photo of the entrance to the school and said the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors “will be voting on the consolidation of Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland elementary schools and the closing of Minot Consolidated School. To learn more and share your comments and concerns please attend the November Community Club meeting. This meeting is open to the public.”
The flyer provided the link to the RSU 16 Task Force website to gain additional information.
King-Buker said the Minot school sent a newsletter Tuesday morning announcing there would be no discussion of RSU 16 elementary schools at the Community Club meeting.
The newsletter stated, “Previously there was a misunderstanding and it was shared that this (meeting) would be an opportunity to have your voice heard and show your support of Minot Consolidated School and the three school model … people are planning to come thinking it is one thing and will be disappointed when they learn it is another … it is not a public hearing to attend with the purpose of being heard.”
Minot school Principal Kaitlynn Brown said Tuesday night that the only business to be taken up at the meeting was fundraisers and school activities.
A public question-and-answer session on elementary school options is scheduled by the board of directors for Nov. 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Poland Regional High School cafeteria. The options are whether to have all elementary grades contained within two schools in Mechanic Falls and Poland, and close the Minot elementary school, or keep all three prekindergarten-to-sixth grade schools open in each of the three towns.
According to Assistant Superintendent Amy Hediger, under the proposal to close Minot Consolidated School, all RSU 16 prekindergarten-to-second-graders would go to the Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls and all RSU 16 grades 3 through 6 would go to the Poland Community School. Also under the plan, both buildings would be renamed, have new mascots, school colors and mottos.
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