Atkinson explores SAD 41 withdrawal

Students would attend Foxcroft

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

CHARLESTON — Under the community’s deorganization plan, students residing in Atkinson would no longer attend SAD 41 but would instead go to RSU 68/Foxcroft Academy. The deorganization plan may be brought before the Legislature next year, but should the proposal fail Atkinson pupils may still be heading west as a petition requesting a withdrawal from the Milo-based SAD 41 was recently presented to town officials.

During an Oct. 4 meeting of the RSU 68 school board at the Charleston Community Center, Atkinson Select Chair Mark Kinney said about two years prior a petition was submitted to explore deorganization with Atkinson ceasing to be a municipality and falling under the auspices of Piscataquis County.

“Within the last five weeks we have completed the deorganization plan,” Kinney said. He said during a special town meeting in August over 80 of 90 voters favored proceeding.

Shelley Lane, director of state schools for education in the unorganized territories, made the determination that RSU 68/Foxcroft Academy would be best for Atkinson students post-deorganization, Kinney said. Atkinson currently has 31 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 with 13 in elementary school, seven in grades 5-8 and 11 in high school

“I think in these negotiations we will work out something for those students at Penquis Valley who want to stay,” Kinney said.

He said should the Legislature give its approval to the plan, residents could take a final vote in November 2017.

“Last week we were presented with a petition to withdraw from SAD 41,” Kinney said. “They are feeling if deorganization fails that withdrawal from 41 is off the table and that’s accurate.”

He said a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at the town office to discuss the petition to withdraw from SAD 41. “Then we will hold a special referendum for them to vote on whether to proceed with withdrawing,” Kinney said, with this question potentially being a part of the Nov. 8 ballot.

Board Chair Rick Johnston wondered should Atkinson not deorganize but withdraw from SAD 41, would its students attend RSU 68/Foxcroft Academy on a tuition-basis or would the community look to join the school district. Johnston said Atkinson would need to talk separately with Foxcroft Academy, which contracts with RSU 68 for grades 9-12.

“For us, as a smaller town with a limited value, I think to be part of the RSU as a member town would be better in the long run,” Kinney said. He said Atkinson could start by tutitioning its students and then look into joining RSU 68. Under a tuition agreement, which could be for 10 years, Atkinson would fund transportation to Dover-Foxcroft.

With the topic of Atkinson withdrawal on the meeting agenda as just a discussion item, the school board could not take a formal vote but Johnston said the directors could have a letter drafted saying they have no objections to accepting Atkinson pupils on a tuition-basis if the community decides to go in this direction.

Kinney said deorganization is being pursued because almost half of the community’s taxable acreage is in the Tree Growth Program and about 13,000 acres of these lands are in tax-exempt or reduced valuation conservation programs, leaving little tax base for the town to drawn on.

“We believe we are good stewards of the tax base,” Johnston said.

In other business, SeDoMoCha School Principal Julie Kimball said she met recently with Piscataquis Regional YMCA and Penquis leaders about the backpack project.

“We are going to be continuing with that program again this year,” she said. So far 57 permission slips have been returned, enabling elementary students to bring home backpacks filled with non-perishable foods. Kimball said Will’s Shop ‘n Save owner Will Wedge would be leading this year’s backpack program.

Kimball said backpack program organizers have tried to increase involvement at the middle school, as some of these students may feel self-conscious about taking part.

She said grade 7 science teacher Mary Kate Povak suggested having a closet of items such as toiletries and non-perishables available for students to discreetly use. Kimball said this concept is being investigated and that PRYMCA Director of Marketing and Fund Development Patrick Myers is looking into related grant opportunities.

The directors also created an ad hoc committee – to be comprised of several board members and a few parents – to review the athletics program, with the findings set to be presented in March. “They are going to do a review of the athletic program, everything from A to Z and come back to us,” Johnston said.

“We are going to need updated equipment and more of it,” board member Blake Smith said, about an area of concern. He said the football equipment is the most glaring need.

“This is something we are going to have to take a real serious look at when we build this budget,” Smith said.