BETHEL — The SAD 44 board voted Monday to take no action on creating a committee to consider possible changes to the cost-sharing method among the five district towns, Superintendent David Murphy said Tuesday.

Murphy said the Newry Withdrawal Subcommittee, which is made up of board members, made a motion for the board to take no action on the issue.

He said the subcommittee came up with a resolution “that basically said they wanted Newry to stay as part of the district, and that if Newry left, it would have a significant impact on the quality of education.”

The subcommittee was tasked with working with Newry’s Withdrawal Committee and reviewing options.

The SAD 44 board later heard an update from Telstar Dean of Students Cheryl Lang on a program that sends Telstar Regional High School students to Central Maine Community College in Auburn to earn high school and college credits simultaneously.

Murphy said 11 students are enrolled at the college.

 

“It’s the second year of the program, and it has gone very well so far,” Murphy said. “Last year, we had four students, and this year, we have 11. It’s a great opportunity for kids. The credits they earn at CMCC are transferable pretty much anywhere. It allows students to save money on tuition at bigger colleges while still earning college credit.”

The 11 students spoke to the junior class at the high school Tuesday afternoon, Murphy said.

“These kids have taken on the responsibility of driving themselves to Auburn every day for school,” Murphy said. “I think it’s a really good thing.”

The SAD 44 board also voted to appoint Tiffany Colby, a first-grade teacher at Crescent Park School, as the district’s K-5 English/Language Arts curriculum leader.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com