SAD 53 to send incomplete consolidation plan

PITTSFIELD – SAD 53 directors Monday night voted to send an incomplete conceptual plan to the Maine Department of Education to comply with state law that requires reorganization. The plan proposes consolidating SAD 53 with SAD 59.

The reorganization plan, which will be reviewed again by the Regional Consolidation Unit on Wednesday night before being submitted by Dec. 1, combines the two districts for a total of about 2,700 students.

The towns in the new unit would include Madison, Pittsfield, Burnham, Athens, Detroit, Starks and Brighton Plantation. Throughout the consolidation process, administrators from both districts have stressed that no students will be bused from one district to another. This and other details concerning the reorganization will be handed to voters today at the polls.

The single-sheet informational guide informs voters that if SAD 53 fails to reorganize with a partner, financial penalties could be significant. Not only would the district’s state funding be frozen at the current percentage, there would be 50 percent less funding for system administration.

The proposed plan sets out the size of a new school board, the disposition of existing buildings and debt, how teachers’ and staff contracts would be handled, as well as how to deal with existing contracts for services and products.

In addition, the plan estimates the cost savings by blending the administrations of the two districts at $128,500 for the first three years. This includes eliminating a transportation and facilities director, one-half of a superintendent, and a secretary’s position.

Each district now has its own superintendent and it has not been decided who will head the new unit.

Additional savings could also be realized if SAD 59 contracts with a private firm for busing services, as SAD 53 does, and sells its existing fleet.

In other business, the board:

. Learned that a new math essential learning program initiated a year ago in prekindergarten to grade four is reaping rewards. Principal Faye Anderson said that after special education pupils are removed from the statistics, only three students would need further intervention. “That’s a big step up,” Anderson said.

. Approved an easement for the town of Pittsfield to allow access to the municipal pool over SAD 53 property. The easement is for a 40-foot-wide strip from Lancey Street to the pool. The easement costs Pittsfield $1 a year.

. Adopted a five-year literacy plan.

. Adopted new policies on student fundraising and Internet access.