DIXFIELD — The RSU 10 board Tuesday heard an update from the Andover Withdrawal Committee and unanimously approved robotics teams in all RSU 10 middle and high schools.

David Percival of the Withdrawal Committee said Andover could send up to 60 middle andhigh school students to RSU 10 if residents vote later this year to leave SAD 44. He said transportation would be provided by the New Andover School Administrative Unit if residents pass the final withdrawal vote.

However, he said most junior and senior students will likely want to complete their high school careers at Telstar Regional High School in Bethel.

RSU 10 Superintendent Craig King and former Superintendent Tom Ward assured Andover that sufficient space is available to accommodate Andover high school students.

King said Andover would pay the current rate of tuition, $9,300, for each student it sends to RSU 10. The tuition includes all extra- and co-curricular activities, but not special accommodations for special needs youngsters.

Some Andover students attend Mountain Valley High School in Rumford under an agreement between the two districts’ superintendents.

RSU 10 includes the towns of Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, Peru, Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Byron, Mexico, Roxbury, Rumford and Hanover.

SAD 44 includes Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock, besides Andover.

Dan Lemieux, leader of the Spruce Mountain High School robotics team in RSU 73, along with two of the 43 students on that team, presented a demonstration of robots created by the team. The district includes the towns of Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls.

Kim Dailey, who leads a Dirigo Middle School after-school robotics team in Dixfield, made the request to open up such learning activities to more schools in the district.

“I’d like to open one robotics team to all RSU 10 (secondary) students,” he said.

He, along with Lemieux, outlined the benefits for students who take part in such an activity, which he said aligns well with the current emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Both said they feel certain that grants would be available to fund the robotics kits students would work with.

“It’s not just about building robotics. It’s teamwork, problem solving, presentations,” he said.

Dailey said his plan would be to offer a high school robotics program from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. His robotics team meets after school on Tuesdays.

He asked the board to provide transportation to competitions. All other funding would come from grants and fundraisers held by the team.

The RSU 10 board will hold a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Dirigo High School in Dixfield with the area’s legislative delegation.