POLAND — School Superintendent Dennis Duquette has agreed to meet with people who are disturbed by the decision to move the school district’s adult education program into Elm Street School.

At Monday’s Regional School Unit 16 Committee meeting, Mechanic Falls resident Cassie Petrocelli handed the board a petition, signed by 155 residents, that calls for the board to reconsider its decision.

Petrocelli said the petitioners had nothing against the adult education program — or the individuals attending it — but that they didn’t believe an elementary school was an appropriate location for adult education.

“There’s a place for adults. There’s a place for kids,” Petrocelli said.

Duquette explained that while the decision to move adult ed to Elm Street rather than to the former Head Start building near the Municipal Building was based on financial considerations, Elm Street School provides facilities that could enhance the adult education offerings — and steps would be taken to keep the two operations separate.

New bathroom facilities will be installed in the portion of the building being used by adult ed, and a locked door will separate the two spaces.

“Your concerns are my concerns,” Duquette said.

Several School Committee members said they had the same reservations when they first heard of the plan in May, but that a tour of the proposed facility had convinced them it could be made safe for the young students.

Duquette said he would meet with concerned residents to tour the facility and go over safety concerns.

In other business, the committee approved hiring Jennie Rose as the new adult education director, replacing Nancy Watson, who recently retired. Rose has been involved with the program for several years.

The committee also approved hiring Arthur Reed as the new principal of Minot Consolidated School. Reed has been assistant principal at Elm Street School for the past nine years and for the past year assisted Mary Martin at the Minot school. Martin will retire June 30. The search for her replacement at Elm Street School continues.