Staff Writer
Members of three school boards in southern Aroostook County facing severe penalties for non-compliance with the school consolidation law met at Hodgdon High School, Nov. 10 to consider options acceptable to the state’s education department. Nearly 60 percent of Maine voters rejected a citizen initiative to repeal the school consolidation law when they went to the polls on Nov. 3. CSD 9, SAD 25 and SAD 70 have yet to submit their plans to be in compliance.
Superintendent Terry Comeau of CSD 9 said “time is of the essence if the group is able to develop a plan in this particular year. But, we wanted to be sure to do it right even if it meant we weren’t able to do it by July 1.”
There was discussion about a possible new structure as well as a need to achieve short- and long-term savings, according to Comeau. The group is considering possibly forming a Regional School Unit (RSU) or an Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS).
The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 7 in Dyer Brook at Southern Aroostook Community School.
