Communities file Notices of Intent

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Most Maine school communities must file a formal Notice of Intent with the Department of Education by Aug. 31, outlining their plans to merge or consolidate administrative offices with neighboring schools. After that, committees made up of school board members, municipal officials and community residents will form in each area to develop reorganization plans. The new regional school units have until Dec. 15 to file their plans.

Bangor

Bangor has discussed consolidation possibilities with SAD 63 (Holden, Eddington, Clifton), Glenburn, Veazie, Hampden and Orono. The school committee plans to vote tonight on what its Notice of Intent will say.

Bar Harbor

Union 98 (Bar Harbor, Cranberry Isles, Frenchboro, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, Swans Island, Tremont) has considered plans to consolidate with Trenton and Lamoine. The union serves 1,600 students and would serve about 1,900 if Trenton and Lamoine join. The new unit would oversee an elementary school in each member town and one high school.

Belfast

SAD 34 in Belfast and SAD 56 in Searsport plan to create a regional school unit with an enrollment of about 2,600 students. The expanded district will oversee management of nine elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools.

Blue Hill

Union 93 (Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine, Penobscot), Union 76 (Brooklin, Sedgwick, Deer Isle, Stonington) and Surry plan to form Regional School Unit 10. It will include 1,200 to 1,300 students in kindergarten to grade 12. The towns now have eight public elementary schools, one private elementary school, one public high school in Deer Isle, one large private academy, and two small private high schools.

Brewer

Brewer plans to join with SAD 63 (Holden, Eddington and Clifton) and CSD 8 (Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond, Osborn), Dedham and Orrington to create Regional School Unit 15.

Bucksport area

Bucksport, Orland and SAD 18 (Verona Island, Prospect) plan to talk with SAD 63 (Holden, Clifton and Eddington) to discuss forming a regional school unit.

Calais area

Union 104 (Eastport, Charlotte, Dennysville, Pembroke, Perry), Union 106 (Alexander, Baring Plantation, Calais, Crawford, Robbinston), and Union 107 (Baileyville, Cooper, Grand Lake Stream Plantation, Meddybemps, Princeton, Talmadge, Waite), Topsfield and Vanceboro plan to consolidate into an expanded district with enrollment of more than 1,600 students. The regional school unit will oversee the management of more than 12 elementary and middle school programs and three high schools.

Camden-Rockport

SAD 28 (K-8 education in Camden and Rockport) and the Five Town CSD (9-12 education for Camden, Rockport, Hope, Appleton, Lincolnville) plan to formally consolidate the two districts. SAD 28 now shares a superintendent and administrators with Five Town CSD. Hope, Appleton and Lincolnville now share a superintendent under School Union 69; that group of schools also intends to join with SAD 28 and Five Town CSD.

Hampden

SAD 22 (Hampden, Winterport, Newburgh), with an “efficient, high-performing” rating that provides an exemption from consolidation requirements, plans to remain a three-town school district.

Holden area

SAD 63 (Holden, Eddington, Clifton) plans to file two Notices of Intent. One notice will call for continued discussion for a proposed Regional School Unit 15, which also would include CSD 8 (Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond, Osborn), Dedham and Orrington. The second notice will outline plans to talk with other schools that include Glenburn, Orrington, Dedham, CSD 8 (which includes the Airline School), Union 90 (Alton, Bradley, Greenbush and Milford), Veazie and possibly others.

Houlton

SAD 29 plans to file three Notices of Intent. One notice will outline a partnership with SAD 25 (Mount Chase, Patten, Sherman, Stacyville), SAD 70 (Hodgdon, Amity, Cary Plantation, Haynesville, Linneus, Ludlow, New Limerick), SAD 14 (Danforth, Weston), and CSD 9 (Crystal, Dyer Brook, Island Falls, Merrill, Oakfield, Smyrna) to form Regional School Unit 4. A second notice will state that SAD 29 (Houlton, Hammond, Littleton, Monticello) will be talking with SAD 42 (Mars Hill, Blaine) and the Bridgewater School Department, including the superintendent of SAD 1 in Presque Isle, who provides superintendent services for Bridgewater. The third notice of intent will indicate a willingness to consider an alternative plan.

Newport

SAD 48 (Corinna, Hartland, Newport, St. Albans, Palmyra, Plymouth) residents recommended filing a Notice of Intent to join with SAD 38 (Etna, Dixmont). The school board was expected to meet Tuesday to decide whether to accept the recommendation.

Rockland-Thomaston area

SAD 50 (Thomaston, Cushing, St. George) plans to consolidate with SAD 5 (Rockland, Owls Head, South Thomaston). SAD 50 operates Georges Valley High School in Thomaston, and SAD 5 operates Rockland District High School.

Unity

SAD 3 (Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Waldo, Unity) may request an exemption based on geography because the district is already large at 440 square miles; it also is considering sharing services with neighboring districts. The board is expected to consider plans at its Monday, Aug. 27, meeting. The district is in the midst of building a new K-12 school in Thorndike paid for entirely with state funds.