BETHEL — SAD 44 directors have learned of a plan by the town of Andover that could ensure the small elementary school there remains open next year.

Superintendent David Murphy said Andover residents will decide whether to approve raising an additional $68,000 at a referendum March 20. If approved, the Board of Selectmen would meet with the school board March 27 to ask it directors would accept the additional funds in lieu of closing the school.

Murphy said $68,000 is about $1 on the town’s tax rate.

The board voted to close the school of about 35 kindergarten to grade five students last year. However, the town paid an additional $214,000 to keep it open. The lower figure is being presented because it represents maintenance of the school, Murphy said.

In other matters at Monday’s school board meeting, directors awarded the contract for an air quality and energy audit of Telstar Middle/High School in Bethel to Honeywell Inc. of Westbrook, at a cost of up to $15,000.

Murphy said this is the first step in a plan to bring the 40-year-old school up to energy and air quality standards.

The district has saved $1.2 million to go toward the eventual project. It also has been approved for borrowing up to $1.3 million from a federal Quality School Construction program at a very low interest rate.

“The goal is to get everyone informed, then the board will decide whether to go forward,” Murphy said.

The audit is expected to be completed by the end of the school year. The second phase of a project engineering design could begin after that.

Residents will have the final say on whether to go forward with the project.

In a related matter, buildings, grounds and transportation director Ron Deegan alerted the board to several smaller capital projects. Among them are: major water filtration system work needed at Woodstock Elementary School; consideration of replacing the furnace at the bus garage on Main Street in Bethel or begin looking for a possible alternative site; and possible replacement of the nearly 80-year-old boilers at Andover Elementary School.

Woodstock Elementary School lead teacher Jolene Littlehale reviewed a pilot program for changing the school’s report card.

Under the program, which started at the beginning of the third quarter, grades will be posted on report cards traditionally, using a numerical system, as well as standards based.

Standards based marks would be 1 through 4, with 1 being the lowest level, and 4 indicating mastery of a particular topic.

Murphy said the Woodstock school staff is working with staff from the other elementary schools on the new reporting method. If successful, it will eventually be used to grade all kindergarten to grade five pupils.

The board also learned that 19-year veteran of the school board, Sidney Pew of Andover, is not running for another term.

The district has also signed on to Maine Power Options Constellation Energy, rather than the standard offer for electricity, to reduce utility costs. Murphy said using the new company should save about $27,000 a year.