OTISFIELD — A plan to have fewer elementary school principals and move some fifth- and sixth-graders to other schools received mixed opinions at a public hearing by the Oxford Hill School District on Thursday.

Superintendent Mark Eastman has been visiting district schools to discuss a proposal to save money in anticipation of revenue losses in the next two fiscal years. It is estimated the district will lose $1.9 million in state funding in 2010-11 and a similar amount in 2011-12.

“It is a proposal, and that’s why I’m going out to the towns to get feedback,” Eastman said. “Going out and sharing this news is never pleasant for anyone.”

Eastman said a number of factors have contributed to the financial problem, including higher unemployment, higher property valuation, rising costs and decreasing student enrollment. District officials do not believe the system can retain its current level of staffing and services, but is attempting to maintain academic programs such as art and music and keep the district’s eight elementary schools open.

Each of the elementary schools has its own principal, and one change would cut that number from eight to three. One principal would be in charge of the elementary schools in Paris, West Paris, and Hebron; another the schools in Norway, Waterford and Harrison; and a third the schools in Oxford and Otisfield. Five associate principals would assist with the operation of the schools.

The proposed model would send Otisfield fifth and sixth grade students to the Oxford Elementary School. This change would also take place at the Waterford Elementary School, which would send those grades to Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway, and the Agnes Gray School in West Paris, which would send those grades the Paris Elementary School.

Eastman said the change in grades would initially result in 76 students in kindergarten through fourth grade attending the Otisfield Community School and 388 students in kindergarten through sixth grade at the Oxford Elementary School. Estimated class sizes would range from 16 to 26 in Oxford and 10 to 18 in Otisfield.

Eastman said the changes for Oxford and Otisfield would result in about $100,000 in savings in administrative, teaching, support staff and facilities costs. It is also projected that the Oxford Elementary School’s budget would be reduced by about $100,000 through staff reductions, while the sale of portable units used at the Otisfield Community School for classrooms would bring in another $40,000.

Some residents expressed concerns over the differences between the two schools in quality of education and other areas.

Eastman said that the Oxford Elementary School did not meet the standards for adequate yearly progress two years ago, but has since improved. Other residents said that their children or children subject to similar changes were excited about meeting other children at a new school.

Residents also asked how the new bus schedules would work and whether parents with children in different grades would see them coming home at different times due to the higher grades attending Oxford.

“We haven’t designed this yet, and when we do we can give you more definite information,” Eastman said.

The changes in the elementary schools is expected to save $250,000 in administrative costs and $500,000 in instructional costs, with a reduction in the number of staff positions in all areas. Other cost-saving measures such as equalizing class sizes would target the secondary schools and vocational programs.

The plan needs to be approved by the school board before it can go into effect.

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