DIXFIELD — The Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10 board took a first look and heard explanations for proposed budgets for the seven elementary and middle schools within the district Monday night.

Monday’s meeting was the first of several that will deal with what a 2010-11 operating budget will look like when it is finally presented to residents at the June 8 primary election.

As presented by the elementary and middle school principals, proposed increases ranged from 1 percent at Meroby Elementary School to 6.5 percent for Buckfield Middle School.

Those figures, however, are far from written in cement as they may increase, because staff salary hikes are not included, or decrease, because all positions and programs are subject to change in an effort to offset some of the nearly $1 million reduction in state aid the district has lost for the current and next fiscal year.

Tops among increases from the seven elementary and middle schools are costs to install a student information system known as Power School, in Dirigo middle and elementary schools, and in Hartford-Sumner Elementary School and Buckfield Middle School. The schools in the former SAD 43 already have this program which allows students and parents to access information about homework and other school-related matters.

Also, a higher than usual number of teachers in most of the elementary and middle schools are pursuing master’s degrees. The district reimburses staff for these costs. Other increases include funding for building repairs or technology upgrades.

Superintendent Tom Ward said principals from Dirigo, Mountain Valley and Buckfield high schools, as well as the athletic directors, will make similar presentations at the board’s March 8 meeting.

The bottom line number from the first overview of the 3,000-pupil school unit came in at $35 million, up 2.5 percent from the current fiscal year’s budget of $34.1 million.

That figure may drop as Ward said every program and position will be studied in an effort to bring down the budget.

The higher the number of staff retirements, the fewer teachers and other employees will lose their jobs. Ward has not said how many positions may be lost due to budget cuts.

At Monday’s board meeting, two teachers and one educational technician submitted their resignations for the purpose of retirement. At the last meeting, three teachers and one educational technician resigned for the purpose of retirement.

“That will help,” Ward said.

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