SALEM TOWNSHIP — With a substantial loss of state funding for its $10 million budget, the SAD 58 board received input Thursday night from Strong, Phillips, Kingfield, Avon and Eustis residents for creative cost cutting without eliminating programs or staff.

“If you’ve got any thought on these issues, tonight is the night to share them,” Superintendent Quenten Clark told the audience.

Most in the Mt. Abram School library were district employees, and many spoke in support of the educational programs the district has worked so long to develop. Board member Alan Morse of Phillips said any choices to close schools or cut staff would be difficult to make.

“Some of the long-term changes we need to make within each school is, in my mind, the only way I see to keep each community’s schools open,” he said.

Stratton Elementary School may combine kindergarten and first grade, because next year’s expected kindergarten enrollment will be only three students.

“One of the things that concerns me is that we need to decide what we’re going to do (with combined grades),” Stratton teacher Sheila Kantor said.

She explained that continuously changing the grade groupings because of declining enrollment and budget constraints is detrimental for both students and teachers.

The district also faces starting the 2011-12 school year with a new superintendent, because Clark, who works half time for the district, will leave in August. The school board has begun a search for a candidate.

Although Mainers voted in 2004 to require that 55 percent of the cost of public education come from the state level, current funding remains closer to 42 percent, according to Clark. Meanwhile, the district still is expected to provide the same quality of service to students.

“It just isn’t going to be possible to educate the kids the way the state wants us to,” Clark said. “We’re just too spread out.”

The school district also will pay a $140,000 penalty for not consolidating with SAD 74.

Approximately $190,000 of budget increases, Clark said, will go toward health insurance costs. Repairs and maintenance budgets have been cut.

The $240,000 to pay for the Kingfield Elementary School’s new roof and Mt. Abram High School’s fire alarm system just isn’t there, he noted.

At the close of this school year, three staff members will retire.

Federal funding for three Title 1 special education positions will expire also, so Clark suggested the board consider moving staff members into those retirement slots.

Kirsten Brown Burbank, who heads the adult education program, will add more career education and guidance services.

“We have a very talented person who is being underutilized,” Clark said.

Students also may be asked to pay $35 a year to supplement cuts in the athletic budget.