Glenburn files letter of intent for schools

GLENBURN – The School Committee unanimously approved Wednesday night the recommendation of the town’s school reorganization planning committee to submit two letters of intent to be filed with the Department of Education by the Aug. 31 deadline.

Reorganization committee members made it clear Tuesday that although they intend to file two letters, all communities still are being considered and a final decision has not been made regarding the newly mandated school consolidation legislation.

The effort to consolidate Maine’s 152 school administrative systems into 80 regional school units was signed into law in early June, and by Aug. 31, each school unit must file a notice with the commissioner of its intent to engage in planning and negotiations with other schools.

The two letters currently intended for submission to the state include the following regional school units:

. Glenburn, Orono and Veazie, which would meet the state’s requirement to have a public or publicly supported high school. The mandate allows the high school to be located outside the regional school unit. The combination, however, wouldn’t create an RSU of 2,500-plus students, as required.

. A kindergarten through eighth grade RSU including Glenburn, Orrington, Dedham, Milford, SAD 63 and CSD 8. SAD 63 is composed of Holden, Eddington and Clifton, and CSD 8 contains Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond and Osborn.

Both proposals are inconsistent with the state’s original direction, but other towns have filed similar, if not identical, letters of intent.

The state has suggested that Glenburn join with Hudson, Bradford, Corinth, Stetson and Kenduskeag.