Paris has formed a committee to research the feasibility of remaining part of the Oxford Hills school district. 

The committee is being organized by Selectperson Rob Federico. Its first meeting is Tuesday, April 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office, 33 Market Square.

The agenda may be viewed on Paris’ website. Business during the inaugural meeting includes setting regular meeting schedules and electing a committee chair, vice-chair and secretary.

In addition to Federico, Paris citizens Mike Lance, Patricia O’Brian, Chris Summers and Nancy Drew have been appointed to the committee.

Paris is the second of Maine School Administrative District 17’s eight towns to consider withdrawal.

The towns of Harrison, Hebron, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Waterford and West Paris are all part of the Oxford Hills school district.

Harrison is roughly 18 months into the education research process and is set to include an article regarding school district separation on its 2026 annual town meeting warrant.

Paris began casually discussing district separation about 18 months ago, after SAD 17 moved to permanently enroll students from West Paris at Paris Elementary School.

West Paris students had been transferred to either Paris Elementary or Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in February of 2024 when Agnes Gray Elementary School was closed due to unsafe conditions.

That fall, all West Paris students from grades one through six became part of Paris Elementary and SAD 17 directors voted to permanently close Agnes Gray. Pre-K and kindergarten students of both towns attend class in West Paris at the Legion Memorial School.

Paris and West Paris then took legal action against SAD 17, asserting it had not followed Maine statute in the process. Both towns dropped their suits when the school board demonstrated it was acting in accordance with state law.

In December 2024, Paris’ select board drafted a document defining the work to be assigned to an ad hoc committee to investigate SAD 17’s budget and finance procedures but no further action was taken at the time.

After a districtwide bond referendum in February to relocate SAD 17’s transportation and facilities departments to a South Paris dealership was defeated, selectmen revived the district membership issue. 

The tipping point came as Paris feared losing the 209 Main St. property from its commercial property tax rolls. SAD 17 has three schools, athletic fields, its administrative offices and its current bus garage located in Paris.

The investigative committee was repurposed as an ad hoc committee with the directive to “examine the feasibility, process, costs, risks and potential benefits of withdrawing from SAD 17.”

The towns of Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner voted last year to begin the withdrawal process from Regional School Unit 10, which is based in Rumford.

Last year in Franklin county the towns of Kingfield, Phillips and Strong voted to withdraw from SAD 58. Voters in the district’s fourth town of Avon rejected the measure.

Withdrawal from a school district is a 22-step legal process that can take years to negotiate and execute.

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