FARMINGTON — On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Regional School Unit 9 [RSU 9] celebrated the official opening of its new district office at the historic Holman Mission House with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. RSU 9 Chair Dorothy Robinson, with the assistance of Vice Chair Gwen Doak, cut the ribbon as a crowd of staff, community members, and local officials gathered to witness the event and tour the facility.

The new office is the result of a successful referendum held on Nov. 7, 2023, where Franklin County voters approved the purchase of the Holman Mission House. The office, located at 227 Main St., Farmington, is housed in the historic Holman Mission House, originally built in 1895 by Joseph C. Holman and later owned by the Old South First Congregational Church, which put the property on the market in 2022.

Superintendent Christian Elkington emphasized the benefits of the move in an email, stating, “We have found that being available to people on Main Street in Farmington has reduced visitors to Mt. Blue Campus, thus improving safety. It has also made it easier for staff, parents, community members, and vendors to meet with us.”

The decision to move from the Mt. Blue Campus was driven by a growing need for space for student programming. The vacated office space at Mt. Blue will now support additional student services. Elkington said the space that had been used at Mt. Blue is now being utilized for student programming in multiple ways, which aligns with long-term goals for supporting student success.

Following the ribbon-cutting, attendees toured the renovated facility, which now houses the office of the Superintendent, business and finance, special services, and school nutrition departments. Refreshments were provided as guests explored the various offices operating from the new location.

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