FARMINGTON — With a tight budget season ahead and a longtime school leader preparing to step down, the Regional School Unit 9 board of directors tackled key financial decisions during Tuesday’s meeting.

They also honored W.G. Mallett School Principal Tracy Williams, who has announced her retirement.

District officials began crafting the 2025-26 budget three months earlier than usual to scrutinize every line item and revenue projection. The effort comes as RSU 9 aims to scale back its reliance on balance-forward funding, which contributed $2 million to this fiscal year budget.

“We knew that reducing from the present year’s use of balance forward would be tricky, especially when considering that staff salaries were going up 6% districtwide and that benefit planning would start at a potential increase of 7%,” Superintendent Christian Elkington wrote in his report.

To meet the board’s directive to limit the fiscal year 2026 budget increase to no more than 4.5% for local taxpayers, administrators have worked with cost center managers to reduce expenses, hold off on new programming and make position adjustments. The Budget Committee recently held its first full-day meeting to review districtwide cost centers.

The next budget meeting originally set for Thursday, Elkington said, would likely be postponed to Friday due to the weather forecast.

Elkington read Williams’ letter announcing her retirement and resignation. She has served as principal of W.G. Mallett School for 20 years.

“The Mallett School has been able to demonstrate tremendous accomplishments in those two decades,” he said. “She wanted to make it clear that she thanks a multitude of staff for all their work, for the teamwork that allowed progress.”

Williams credited the school’s success to its cohesive staff and their commitment beyond school hours. She highlighted W.G. Mallett School’s nomination for the Maine Education Association’s Lynch Award, which recognized the school’s climate, traditions, and investment in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Elkington also noted that Williams had been named Maine Elementary Principal of the Year in the past. Additionally, she played a key role in advocating for RSU 9’s retire and rehire policy, which has since been used by at least six district staff members.

“We obviously all want to wish her much success in her official retirement,” he said, adding that the district hopes to continue working with Williams in a consulting role to support instructional observations for prekindergarten through third grade.

In other business

Assistant Superintendent Monique Poulin provided updates on an upcoming March 14 professional development workshop at Mt. Blue Campus in Farmington.

“We have about 40 different options for folks to select from, and likely 50 when it all comes together,” she said. “It is a wonderful opportunity for our staff members to celebrate internal knowledge and expertise.”

Mt. Blue High School Principal Joel Smith also shared updates on student achievements.

“Our wrestling team has been rocking it,” Smith said. “They finished No. 1 in Class A North and go on to the state championship this week at the Lewiston Colisée.”

Three Mt. Blue wrestlers reached 100 career wins this season.

Smith also noted strong performances by the Nordic ski team, which won their championship again, and the alpine teams, with the boys placing second and the girls third at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference meet.

Academically, Mt. Blue recently recognized more than 45 students at its Student of the Quarter assembly for excellence in academics and athletics.

“So we continue to do good things,” Smith said.