PHILLIPS — As some towns in Maine School Administrative District 58 continue to explore withdrawal from the district, discussions about restructuring the schools in the district appear to be on hold.

Monthly updates from withdrawal committees in Strong, Phillips and Kingfield have remained brief, Superintendent Laura Columbia said.

“We have monthly updates at each board meeting, but they have been brief … still gathering data, in negotiations, etc.,” Columbia told the Franklin Journal.

Strong and Phillips have contacted the state to request extensions in the withdrawal process, Columbia said, adding that “the extensions do not affect us at this point in time.”

Columbia said she did not have the specifics of changes in “timelines, scope or direction” for each withdrawal group.

The district’s facilities planning discussion has continued alongside the withdrawal talks.

In October, a proposal to close Day Mountain Regional Middle School in Strong fell short of the required two-thirds vote, according to reporting at the time.

The board has also been considering a recommendation to plan for a pre-K through grade 12 model in MSAD 58 and not “tuitioning any grades out to other districts.”

“No formal decision has been made, but there has been board discussion on waiting to see what direction the towns will go regarding withdrawal,” Columbia said.

During public questions on facilities planning, Columbia said community members have raised a range of concerns over multiple meetings, including “urging us to make a decision regarding closing a school” and “encouraging us to wait until the towns decide what they would like to do regarding withdrawal.” She said concerns have also included “school budget increases,” “maintaining our current buildings” and “exploring closing other schools.”

“We are still in the gathering information and discussion phase,” Columbia said of facilities planning overall.

Columbia said building conditions and enrollment trends are central to the district’s challenge.

“The biggest challenge our district is facing is buildings that are in need of repair, as well as a declining enrollment, which is what motivated our facilities study,” she said. “Now that we have three of our four towns looking at withdrawing, it is difficult for the board to make a decision on closing a building, with so many variables.”