RUMFORD — Regional School Unit 10 will hold a public forum at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on a proposal to house pre-kindergarten through second grades at Meroby Elementary School in Mexico and third to fifth grades at Rumford Elementary School.

The forum will be in Muskie Auditorium at Mountain Valley High School.

Now, both schools have pre-kindergarten through fifth grades.

One advantage of the proposal is alleviating overcrowded classrooms, Superintendent Deb Alden said Friday.

She said kindergarten and fourth grade classes at both schools were overcrowded this year, resulting in some kindergarten students moving from one school to the other.

Another advantage is that having all fifth-graders together could make it less stressful when they move to sixth grade at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico, Alden said. There are also cost savings from having fewer students in classes and the ability to share resources among grade levels, she said.

She acknowledged that “people struggle with change and like to have siblings together longer. Also, some would have to go on buses.”

During a December school board meeting, several educators from Meroby and Rumford schools expressed concern about the proposal.

Rumford Elementary School teacher Cassie Danylik said, “In our experience working with children, consistency and predictability are key components of a child’s overall well-being.”

The board of directors will vote on the proposal in February.

Other RSU 10 towns are Buckfield, Hartford, Sumner, Roxbury and Hanover.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

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