Students in Gray and New Gloucester will attend three different schools next year.
By Ellie Fellers
Special to the Sun Journal

NEW GLOUCESTER – SAD 15 officials were excited that the $16.3 million school budget passed easily Tuesday in Gray and New Gloucester.

“I’m ecstatic,” said board Chairwoman Sarah McCleary, who was stepping down after six years.

Superintendent Michael Wood said, “Everyone worked hard on this. Many parents who asked the hard questions have to be given credit.”

Under the plan, Russell School in Gray and Memorial School in New Gloucester will house students in the their home towns from grade kindergarten through grade two and the Burchard Dunn School in New Gloucester will educate all Gray and New Gloucester students grades three to five together.

The results of the budget questions approved are:

• Question 1, appropriate $13,089,047 from the foundation allocation and raise $6,429,287 as the local share of the foundation allocation, 1,435 to 587.

• Question 2, appropriate $647,874 from debt service allocation and raise $294,063 as the local share, 1,412 to 598.

• Question 3, authorize the district to raise $1,838,658 in additional local funds, 1,283 to 598.

• Question 4, approved spending $16,307,196, on a vote of 1,418 to 591

• Question 5, fund the adult education program at $48,019, on a vote of 1,186 to 834

• Question 6, spend state, federal and private grants and other forms of aid for school purposes, 1,584 to 428.

In Gray, questions 1-4 passed by a 3-to-1 margin, while question 5 passed by a 2-to-1 margin, and question 6 was approved by a 5-to-1 margin.

In New Gloucester, voters approved questions 1, 2 and 4 by a 2-to-1 margin, question 3 by a 4-to-3 margin and question 6 by a 5-to-1 margin.

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