AUBURN – After hours of testimony and debate Wednesday night, the Auburn School Committee took no action on motions to eliminate the Merrill Hill alternative middle school and two special education programs.

Instead, program administrators of Merrill Hill and the special ed programs will come back to the board with suggestions on future homes.

At issue for the man who suggested axing the programs, City Councilor Ron Potvin, is that the programs teach so few Auburn students, less than 50 for a cost of about $800,000. The special ed programs, Regional Educational Treatment Center and Students of Success, are in a Mount Auburn Avenue building where the lease expires in June. Merrill Hill is in a Western Avenue building that needs expensive repairs.

Potvin said he disagrees with a proposed master plan to close two elementary schools, Walton and East Auburn, redistrict hundreds of students, and spend millions to renovate the Auburn Middle School, all to move the specialized programs to Walton.

Several members of the committee, however, disagreed with his analysis. The possible school closings would not be done to move the programs to Walton, but for other academic reasons, they said. And the committee has yet to vote on the master plan, so the elementary school closings are not yet decided, said Committee Chairman David Das.

Meanwhile they and others defended the programs. Merrill Hill, which has about 30 students, keeps students from dropping out; RETC and SOS are successful in helping special ed students and prevent them from being sent to expensive, out-of-district programs.

Before the committee decided not to act, former Merrill Hill alternative students, current students and parents offered compelling accounts on why the school should not close.

Merrill Hill stories

Megan Pettengill showed up in uniform wearing a Central Maine Medical Center badge. Today she’s a registered nurse.

When she was in seventh and eight grade she had poor grades and was disruptive in school. “I have no idea how I got to the ninth grade” because she failed in her classes and was still promoted. A counselor suggested she go to what was then the Stevens Mill alternative school. There, “my grades did a 180. My whole feeling about school changed. I loved school,” Pettengill said.

She went on to the Franklin alternative high school. In the alternative schools she said she learned to be accountable, “how to learn, that I was important.” She graduated and put herself through college. Pettengill said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the programs.

Parent Pat Roberts said she has a daughter at Merrill Hill. The middle school was “too big an institution for her.” The girl’s father died as she was starting seventh grade. Because the school was so big, “they could not give her the one-on-one she needed. She kept getting into trouble, suspended or sent home.”

She was transferred to Merrill Hill where the staff goes out of their way to help students, Roberts said. Her daughter’s work has improved. “She has aspirations of becoming a pediatrician. . . . I hope you choose not to shut down the school.”

Before Joshua Pelletier went to Merrill Hill he never did his work, and pretended to be sick to stay home, he said. “But now I want to go to school,” he said. “I enjoy school because I know I’ll be safe physically, emotionally and academically.”

Students said at other schools students said they felt judged, picked on, disliked. Merrill Hill is not a school for “bad kids,” but kids who need smaller, more individualized settings, they said.

After hearing the testimony, Potvin said he did not favor closing Merrill Hill. But he persisted that Auburn cannot afford the special ed programs for so few students. He made a motion they be eliminated and Auburn find other programs for the 20 students.

Potvin’s motion did not get a second, so no action was taken.

Member Bonnie Hayes pointed out that the special ed programs save more than $400,000 a year. Potvin countered that the number of Auburn students they serve is so small, the savings were insignificant versus renovating buildings and redistricting students. Several members said parents should have the opportunity to speak before changes are made.

The committee will resume debate in the coming weeks and months when administrators report back on future homes, and as the master plan and budget is decided.