[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6329557,"mediaKeyId","2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24","parentId",2315962,"title","Freeport High proposes role increases, several reductions and scheduling work to balance class sizes","audioSeconds",1766,"startMs",3528000,"endMs",5294000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24&start=3528&end=5294","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24/thumbnail_3528000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6329557/Maine/Freeport-High-proposes-role-increases-several-reductions-and-scheduling-work-to-balance-class-sizes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329557-da6bcdf1282c3c74a637a7b9e9a06ac0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646439&Signature=lAebTsmwSY0lxsG9t2j-mQ6bE39cpIcpxVLnQfLgzQ401UpLhPRa4NxVNGbpvi6cvw7tkjtlHopfBf8-1WSbZWMbC1alGTz3QH8ydQdXhpT63nOD1t0VP~8qtPc~YWlwGwDw40YQf9YxBwva8eJK6VYDSQVzs9LUrf5N7rzy8ni64lQ3YbDbaZlVciOcHTTUhMsMK50t68bGZq~GmPQhgDAv4yMOwxqJ-Wx~-nvaqEFeG6v-iZz-kKLvzHsnwardBbdCth7QDnBoBUIeCC9KFS33wloq1XbQv6aCnHKsC4b1Z4Ndq5KexzUfQHOpKwkslFjLmjkYdC3Jm3ZcTb2mBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","RSU 05","date","2025-02-13T13:38:30Z","article","Jen, representing Freeport High School, told the board how prior budget support (a 0.5 science hire and a testing‑coordinator stipend) enabled course and testing capacity this year, and she outlined proposals for the coming year.

The school requested an increase in hours/days for the guidance secretary (the building’s registrar function) so the role is competitive and aligns to other building secretaries; the current employee is retiring. Jen said the position requires growing technical expertise to manage transcripts and scheduling.

To reduce costs, Freeport proposed three categories of reductions: (1) eliminate a 0.5 world‑language position (the department has experienced high turnover and one current staff member is covering an extra section), (2) eliminate a 0.5 English (ELA) position (the department would redistribute students across existing sections) and (3) reduce three general‑education ed‑tech positions that are currently vacant (positions include guided study hall, learning lab and a library ed‑tech). Jen said the school is working with a data specialist to rebalance sections using PowerSchool and other scheduling steps so that teachers teach five sections rather than six where possible.

She provided a detailed ELA breakdown: roughly 38 sections in semester 1 and 39 in semester 2 with average class sizes near 15–16 students; if the 0.5 ELA reduction occurs, Jen said the average increase would be about six students per teacher after rebalancing. The school also said some small elective sections could be combined to preserve course offerings while reducing total sections.

Board members asked about instructional impact. Jen said balancing sections and rotating some electives (offering certain courses on alternating years) are strategies to limit instructional harms. On a separate topic, a board member asked whether immigration‑enforcement concerns had affected students; Jen said she had met with staff and followed superintendent guidance and that Officer Murray is presented to students as a trusted adult in the building.

The board did not act on Freeport’s proposed staffing changes at this meeting; course registration data in April will inform final decisions during budget deliberations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-02-12 Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Jen, representing Freeport High School, told the board how prior budget support (a 0.5 science hire and a testing‑coordinator stipend) enabled course and testing capacity this year, and she outlined proposals for the coming year.","taxTitle","RSU 05, School Districts, Maine","taxId",38829,"location","Maine","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329562,"Durham Community School requests an EdTech for grades 5–8 and $12,402 for summer MTSS support",953,1483000,2436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24&start=1483&end=2436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24/thumbnail_1483000.jpg","/articles/6329562/Maine/Durham-Community-School-requests-an-EdTech-for-grades-58-and-12402-for-summer-MTSS-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329562-413ac8b2e9d1385499513052839eb419/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646439&Signature=lALs9Nb~-J2oTcQ~qqXjhtRDAXGKvpZtTiERB~Ogi4V3HQSHhagnPOpvHwrcKm359nnunjTzr-QeZdmWbHj93rUJeUYvlgDDpLn4NoCAwvrtRYU~IYlTrqzBWxWaJkpdOsLJLScaVyVTsPAaMRl4v~sSoo702vG-7i3bjTUk-IkJhpN6lcR~dTeG2iFVBwFnLCNH1fEqNu0LZnX5U~HjG3ztGLG0FRIFIIK3t-i4P82AgjBjsCMepQKV37MnpMhI64WXC3BcxUhn5Lt-uVfET6YtDFUxJKWV2~z3fHHHcqD4m~HesSGF4atvmpRRtp73WBpxCM~kGNZf6a5JfQLIbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Will Pitten presented Durham Community School’s budget request and enrollment projections, asking the board to reduce teaching roles at specific grades while adding one EdTech to support a multi‑tiered system of supports (MTSS) for grades 5–8.

Pitten said the school’s rising third grade would move from three sections to two (projecting class sizes of about 22) and rising fifth grade would move from three to two sections, which informed the staffing request. He told the board that the school’s administrative team prioritized supports and said the requested EdTech would allow the district to “replicate what we have in K–4 up in the 5–8 range.”

Pitten also requested $12,402 to continue a summer program that sustains MTSS gains for roughly 25 students; the summer program would pay two teachers and two ed techs for morning sessions in July. He described current kindergarten estimates as lower than typical—33 pupils this year versus a historical range of about 38–42—so enrollment is being monitored. Pitten noted the current eighth‑grade cohort is 37 students; the proposal shows an 8th‑grade planning figure of 48, so staffing scenarios remain under review.

Board members pressed on contingency planning. Board member Kelly asked what the school would do if more students arrived; Pitten said the team had contingency plans and would revisit assignments if enrollment grew, noting some flexibility when cohorts move through year to year. He added the principals and directors had worked on enrollment and staffing since November and would return with updated counts if the figures change.

The board did not take a final vote on Durham staffing requests at this meeting; Pitten’s presentation will feed into districtwide budget deliberations in March.","Durham Community School leader Will Pitten asked the board to convert two elementary teaching sections and to fund a new EdTech (EdTech 3) to extend MTSS supports into grades 5–8, and requested $12,402 for a summer program that would serve about 25 students with two teachers and two ed techs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329567,"Superintendent outlines RSU 5 budget context; federal grants separate from local budget",629,783000,1412000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24&start=783&end=1412","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24/thumbnail_783000.jpg","/articles/6329567/Maine/Superintendent-outlines-RSU-5-budget-context-federal-grants-separate-from-local-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329567-9e63c7472fbd09b9550f45ddf0905442/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646439&Signature=nASdLMkO9tA~n4-NggAYc8MD8N0xtGpiPYilrGG~2OTHkwyVQ-5JypPXy8CKFnk-RMhTzPyRRdvXGXO7lNAULYVMrBRbacG8x0hTZ1siipTEnxCjj3Ebn2gYsm~n9R5xItMOEj3IxaulprvWlAMnhGplGkAvgxSCgdInMjskNI39RmXr-aV2arS5gbRfXRurfaelwNHcBwN44eTQlIaFvE0GomQN807kCVzoTSV~Rc9d-v2elsEQHL8vv5vx34v3tcNzRcTIdfYCYPP8GGXTuVS~zhdrJcO64DiBEyoTdjZU5oAduz9F6UJ6SwtS2cZqjV2fx5M8hSDu9eJ6W23MQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Jean told the RSU 5 School Board that administrators began budget planning in August and built a proposal that prioritizes maintaining programming and student supports while managing infrastructure and fleet replacement needs.

Jean said the district faced two unavoidable pressures going into the process: declining enrollment that reduces state subsidy and negotiated contract commitments. She said initial administrative requests, before reductions and adjustments, produced an 8.47% year‑over‑year increase on the expenditure side and a projected 10.71% net tax impact. After Region 10 clarified its figures, Jean said the superintendent’s proposed operating increase was adjusted to about 5.69%.

The superintendent emphasized that federal grants are not part of the local operating budget. “If folks are thinking, my gosh, what happens if we don’t have federal funding? We would have to come up with about a million dollars,” Jean said, describing Title I, Title II, Title III and IDEA allocations and how they are used (for example, Title I funds 1.9 FTE classroom teachers at Pownall Moore Street and Mass Landing; IDEA reimburses certain out‑of‑district tuition and supports five ed techs).

Jean said the district’s administrative team reviewed departmental requests and set three priorities: maintain programming for students (including student supports), protect staffing where possible, and address infrastructure and life‑safety capital needs. She told the board the team anticipated a difficult budget year and had already identified some staffing reductions as part of balancing the plan.

Board members asked for follow‑up information; Jean said the administration will return with more detail before deliberations at the March meeting, including additional data on the multilingual program and the handbook changes she referenced.

The board did not take a final vote on the overall budget at this meeting; Jean framed the numbers as background to the line‑by‑line presentations that followed.","Superintendent Jean gave the board a budget overview, saying administrators prioritized maintaining student programming, supports and infrastructure while adjusting an initial 8.47% expenditure request down after updated Region 10 figures; federal Title and IDEA grants total about $1 million and are not part of the local operating budget.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6329552,"Athletics director cites rising officials, police detail and equipment costs; board asks for line‑item breakdown",780,5301000,6081000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24&start=5301&end=6081","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2315962-8e3809b1d6fff0e0b01643d07e9d1d24/thumbnail_5301000.jpg","/articles/6329552/Maine/Athletics-director-cites-rising-officials-police-detail-and-equipment-costs-board-asks-for-lineitem-breakdown","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329552-8e85057af99e14a81f683aedc9a84953/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646439&Signature=liIcrEzbCo2Av6unNnUKPOLBJSmZHBE812DT-InQtIasUexzNxL2vqJcBAHyRI21EHS2QaXGEIfwvrsO1xpPXVPiQiWuDGKrvU66ejAF6N27fIvpBtw0NTYriSn~Eq-XWKwYocqgHk4P-wp881hyk5jt46Rcf0-RFc~AJdTYLW4ksyhZvrYmjsdqN0czx7ApWILGUz~8idXMKzhDwAWy-pxKDDYPy~C9gAwELT7tBGdgeH97-rPcZX5-srACfkzQXbHOX~yP3wAMYjOoPsFmMWKqt8WcDbvv81QzXi~kJ1znUrTqFTpP~Od-3eHWAeyxsjVrwps11tJCNCu0jk~yXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Athletic Director Eric Hall outlined the athletics and co‑curricular budget pressures facing RSU 5, citing external contract increases and safety costs as primary drivers of the proposed rise in Article 4.

Hall said officials’ compensation rose under a multi‑year contract that took effect in fall 2023 and that the district pays association fees for assigners, rentals (for example, indoor track facility rental), awards and related costs. He also identified increased police detail costs for higher hourly wages when officers work after hours, ambulance coverage for football games, and higher equipment and uniform prices as contributors to annual increases.

Participation rates are strong, Hall said, with high school participation roughly in the mid‑50s to low‑60s percentage range. He noted a new middle‑school unified basketball program funded by a Special Olympics grant and said he is negotiating a uniform vendor (BSN) that would give a purchasing credit to the district.

Board members asked for more detail on Article 4’s $84,000 change and a line‑item breakout. Business manager Kelly clarified that Article 4 covers stipends (the largest portion), stipends’ benefits, officials, supplies and co‑curricular costs; she said stipend increases are largely contractual and not under the athletic director’s direct control. The board requested an exact dollar breakdown for officials, ambulance/police detail, supplies and stipends during budget deliberations.

Hall and the board agreed that cutting a program would be a last resort because program elimination tends to be long‑lasting; suggested near‑term options for savings included equipment or supply choices rather than dropping student programs.","Athletic Director Eric Hall told the board that officials’ contract increases, police detail, ambulance coverage and equipment/supply price rises are driving an approximately $84,000 increase in the co‑curricular and athletics article; the board asked for a detailed dollar breakout of officials, supplies and dues.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Freeport High proposes role increases, several reductions and scheduling work to balance class sizes

Durham Community School requests an EdTech for grades 5–8 and $12,402 for summer MTSS support

Superintendent outlines RSU 5 budget context; federal grants separate from local budget

Athletics director cites rising officials, police detail and equipment costs; board asks for line‑item breakdown