BETHEL – SAD 44 administration learned Tuesday that the district no longer has to pursue partnering with another school system.

Superintendent David Murphy said Tuesday night that he received preliminary assurance from Maine Department of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, several of the area’s legislative representatives and the district’s lawyer, Dick Spencer.

“I’m hopeful we can now focus on specifics for the district,” Murphy said Tuesday night.

He said an official letter releasing SAD 44 from the state mandate to find a partner should be received within the next few days.

Murphy said SAD 44 has followed the mandate of the law by trying to work out a partnership with SAD 21 in Dixfield and SAD 43 in Rumford, then with Union 37 in Rangeley. Union 37 rejected SAD 44, and SADs 43 and 21 have since joined with SAD 39 in Buckfield and the town of Hanover to form the Western Foothills School District.

“We put a lot of time and effort into trying to form a partnership,” Murphy said.

Murphy said his district will continue to collaborate with the new Western Foothills School District/

With the issue of consolidation now past, Murphy said efforts will be concentrated on numerous things, including the establishment of a Facilities Committee to study each building in the district and assess its needs and usefulness.