A public hearing was held Monday to discuss the possible merger between SAD 21 and Peru.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

CARTHAGE – Merging SAD 21 with the Peru School Department is the only clear choice that would ensure construction of a new school and higher state aid to education, school officials told Carthage residents Monday night.

SAD 21 Superintendent Tom Ward and Peru Superintendent John Turner kicked off the first of three consecutive public hearings on the issue at the Carthage town office.

“Our major goal is to get the facts out to you and to clarify any misconceptions,” said Ward. Of most concern to Carthage residents was the impact an assessment of 90 percent property valuation and 10 percent student use of the district would have on their school taxes.

Ward said an agreement between SAD 21 and Peru worked its way to the 90-10 formula. The agreed-to formula worked out to be the fairest to all towns, with minimal impacts on the three SAD 21 towns of Canton, Carthage and Dixfield.

Some Carthage residents were concerned that the projected increase in the number of students from their town, from the current 84 to the estimated 118 by 2011, may result in higher school taxes under the 90-10 formula. “If Carthage got a severe influx of students, then (the formula) could be re-evaluated,” he said.

Others questioned whether a kindergarten to grade three school must be built, suggesting that older students, perhaps grades four through six, may be able to handle longer bus rides than their younger counterparts.

One proposed reconfiguration of the district suggests that the new school house all kindergarten to third grade students, Dixfield Elementary would house grades four through six, Dirigo Middle School, grades seven through nine, and Dirigo High School, grades 10 through 12.

Building the new school for grades kindergarten to three would bring the number nearly up to what the state prefers, a school that houses at least 350 students. It would also alleviate overcrowding in the other SAD 21 schools.

The new school, to replace the Canton and Peru elementary schools, if the merger passes, would house all SAD 21 youngsters from kindergarten to third grade in a proposed reconfiguration of grade levels so that students would attend classes with the same children throughout their school careers. There would be no “outsiders” Ward said, such as sometimes exists when youngsters go from one school in one town to another school in another town within the same district.

Merging is also important because of the declining student enrollment in SAD 21 and the state’s push for school districts to have at least 1,000 students. If they don’t, they may be candidates to join with neighboring districts. SAD 21 currently has about 850 students.

“We want to preserve the uniqueness of SAD 21 and slow down legislative merger,” he said.

Ward and Turner will hold pubic hearings in Canton on Tuesday and Dixfield on Wednesday. Peru residents approved the merger last month. A vote by SAD 21 towns is scheduled for April 7.

If the majority of voters approve both the merger and the 90-10 funding formula, then a new board would be created to oversee construction of a new school and devise a budget for school year 2005-06.

Ward said the new school could be ready for use as early as the fall of 2007, but more likely for autumn of 2008.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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