DOE waives RSU 9’s last day of school

FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 Superintendent Chris Elkington announced the Department of Education has waived an extra student-instructional day – marking Friday, June 17, as the last day of school.

Concerns were raised in May that there might need to be an extra student-instructional day due to districtwide school cancellations May 6.

School was canceled in May after the district learned there were elevated levels of lead in drinking fixtures. Due to that cancellation, alongside a number of snow days, parents and administrators alike were concerned that the end of the school year would need to be extended to meet the 175-day requirement.

Elkington said he reached out to Pender Makin, commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, with a request to waive that final day of school.

He explained that adding another student-instructional day would result in the final day of school as Tuesday, June 21, due to the observance of federal Juneteenth on Monday, June 20. Elkington raised concerns to the board of directors that extending this day would result in lower attendance.

In the district announcement, Elkington also informed parents that there will be no late arrivals during the last week of school and that students would start their day Wednesday, June 15, as normal.