GRAY – SAD 15 directors voted 8-3 Wednesday to approve a $16,307,196 budget for 2003-04.

The spending plan will go to residents in Gray and New Gloucester in a June 10 referendum.

Board members Carmel Morin and James Hutchinson of New Gloucester and Dan Maguire of Gray opposed the budget.

The proposal is $80,123 more than last year and includes a compromise consolidation plan for all students in kindergarten through fifth-grade who now attend three elementary schools.

Kindergarten, first- and second-grades will attend Russell School in Gray and Memorial School in New Gloucester, while grades three, four and five will attend Dunn School in New Gloucester.

In addition, Pennell Institute in Gray will close. Currently the building houses the district’s adult education program and special service director who will move to Russell School.

Dunn School Principal Carolyn Johnson is leading an advisory Elementary Reorganization Committee of community members and teachers in a transition planning effort.

“Our energy now has to be focused now to make this work,” she told the board. “We need to move forward and get information out and get a plan implemented … to ensure a successful transition,” Johnson said.

The group concluded that K-2 and grades 3-5 groupings are aligned with Maine’s Learning Results. This plan also provides two very small learning environments for the youngest students.

New Gloucester board member Carmel Morin said he believed leaving three elementary schools intact as kindergarten through grade five buildings is feasible by reallocating resources. He said the district spends $6 million more than 10 years ago with lower teacher-pupil ratios and shows lower Maine Educational Assessment scores.

School board Chairwoman Sarah McCleary of Gray said, “This is against what we really believe. It’s a compromise. We tried to put as much money as we could in teachers. This is as close as we can get.”