March 7, 2025
Dear Families of MSAD #60,
I hope this message finds you well. The budget season is underway and as we navigate the complexities of this year’s budget process, I want to provide you with an update on the financial landscape and the steps we are proposing to ensure a sustainable future. Before delving into that update I first wanted to highlight a recently completed facilities study conducted by Harriman and Associates. The study not only looked at all of the physical aspects of the buildings but also supplied the district with a ten year enrollment study which corroborates what we have been experiencing- an overall decrease in student enrollment. The study helped the district gain a more thorough understanding of the facilities, including the strengths and areas of concerns, as we look ahead to planning for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond.
We are facing unprecedented budgetary challenges that require us to take a significant and strategic approach to balancing financial responsibility to taxpayers while maintaining the high-quality education our students deserve. As we have assessed updated information across all areas of district operations, it has become evident that structural changes are necessary to address both fiscal constraints and some space concerns within our schools.
To that end, we are proposing a district-wide grade-level reconfiguration that will allow us to maximize our resources efficiently. The proposed changes include:
Hussey, Hanson, and North Berwick Schools will be for students attending Kindergarten through third grade (all towns will have Pre-Kindergarten).
All district fourth-grade students will attend Knowlton School.
All district fifth and sixth-grade students will attend Noble Middle School.
All seventh-grade students will attend Noble High School.
We recognize that these proposed changes may come as a surprise. We fully understand that reconfiguring grade levels is a significant shift that will impact students, families, and staff members. However, we believe this approach allows us to consolidate educators and resources in a way that ensures we continue providing high-quality programming for students while addressing our fiscal constraints.
Attached, you will find a presentation detailing our financial challenges, some specific information regarding reductions associated with the reconfiguration, and answers to some initial questions you may have. We encourage you to review this information and remain engaged as we navigate this process together.
The district is committed to ensuring timely and transparent communication throughout this entire process. To keep everyone informed, we will provide regular updates through information sessions, increased district-wide emails, and frequent postings on the district webpage.
Sincerely,
Audra Beauvais, Superintendent