[{"_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",6231847,"mediaKeyId","3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e","parentId",3428520,"title","Elementary principals report broad rollout of BARR program; federal funding rescinded but schools say internal capacity can sustain work","audioSeconds",907,"startMs",1869000,"endMs",2776000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e&start=1869&end=2776","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e/thumbnail_1869000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6231847/Maine/Elementary-principals-report-broad-rollout-of-BARR-program-federal-funding-rescinded-but-schools-say-internal-capacity-can-sustain-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231847-0d22972f1e0f2f873952df128c71c3dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773867684&Signature=iLKWTtVfZd6AAPuxtcLNQWn4r3JRtu0Jc6vxS8RNkow1I~UOaeKW1-SKwwpHAt-kqLw8t1zuKAxpcBNP4lbdJaDVeT1WZC1NLw8ytRlONkVKfEA9OrE~1uO-RQ--lu57-Jy-05tEl32OBPCYGyTPYLMtFBU7EQkzEqIvF~Ji9J6KlLxVRlz0hsdlVGJZsv30XpXC1YLl-P5t2rl79Vq6KKRigI8Qy2W~7TmghBmHYXSUucCawlpyYJOBJOktP99tMUTAOrDD7Xl09kd9LN~jHnXQexPRH-5l6Zn~91WnWlUzYdkGR79lAmcmk-N-mdA8vFERyPH7bwqtfsG3qGiLvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MSAD 06","date","2025-05-21T19:39:52.267Z","article","Principals from four elementary schools told the RSU 06/MSAD 06 Board of Directors that they have implemented the Building Assets, Reducing Risk (BARR) model districtwide this school year and are keeping the program running despite the state rescinding ESSER grant support that funded external coaches.

Administrators said BARR organized staff time into small‑group “small block” planning, larger “big block” meetings for coordinated interventions, “Community Connect” meetings for high‑need students, and a weekly classroom lesson called \"U time\" to build students’ social and community skills. Charlotte Regan, principal of HBMRE, described the model as helping \"to focus on all students with intentional structures.\" Chris Casey, principal at Georgie Jack and Steep Falls, told the board the model expanded staff participation beyond classroom teachers to include ed techs, bus drivers and recess monitors.

Nut graf: Principals said the program has produced concrete steps — goal setting, data tracking and return‑in‑six‑weeks follow ups — that let teams intervene earlier. They also reported the district lost the ESSER grant that paid for coaches; principals argued the training this year built internal capacity so schools can continue without the state funding.

Principals gave examples of how BARR changed practice: U time lessons generate qualitative data used at small‑ and big‑block meetings; staff set measurable intervention goals for identified students; and the model created a common language across elementary and middle school classrooms, easing student transitions. Principals said coaches visited schools, held weekly meetings and supported implementation; one principal described the coach as becoming \"part of the family.\" The group also said the model emphasized starting conversations with students’ strengths and tracking every student so \"nobody slips through the cracks.\"

Principals acknowledged implementation challenges: training every grade required time and substitute coverage, the BARR spreadsheet used to document student plans felt “dense” at first, and catching up late adopters required extra effort. Several principals said they plan to incorporate training into staff onboarding and use building‑level coordinators to sustain the work.

Funding: presenters said the BARR work was initially supported through an ESSER grant that paid for external coaches; that grant funding was rescinded for next year. One principal noted an estimated recurring license or program cost of roughly \"$30 a year per school\" during discussion, and described that number as an estimate. School leaders said the primary value of this year’s grant was building internal capacity so schools can continue with less external support, though they identified staff turnover as a potential risk to long‑term fidelity.

Board response: Directors asked implementation questions about coverage, time required to discuss all students, and plans for sustaining the model without external funding. Director Foyce and others asked whether there were unfunded needs; principals said their greatest concern is training new staff and sustaining coaching during turnover but that building coordinators and onboarding can address many gaps.

Ending: Principals urged the board to monitor the program’s impact as spring and fall assessment data arrive, and to consider ways to support onboarding so newly hired staff receive the same training the current staff received.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MSAD6 Board of Directors Meeting May 19th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Principals from multiple elementary schools said the Building Assets, Reducing Risk (BARR) model is now implemented schoolwide and producing more structured student supports, even after state ESSER grant funding that paid for coaches was rescinded.","taxTitle","RSU 06/MSAD 06, School Districts, Maine","taxId",76980,"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},6231833,"Superintendent delivers year‑end goals update; directors press for more quantitative fall workshop",1514,3373000,4887000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e&start=3373&end=4887","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e/thumbnail_3373000.jpg","/articles/6231833/Maine/Superintendent-delivers-yearend-goals-update-directors-press-for-more-quantitative-fall-workshop","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231833-44d700496752f0b56808263435fd2dd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773867684&Signature=NFRTOpNozNtQnIhYv7hZfy1VL1EKSzSJsnvm9Qr5JUtUNkIpKWsYK24Xq9SAbpzN53eAxXinFLXx5SKPFaRqc7ep9cOk9Ohi4~yRxiitJ4nYheYcfyutRS61oJuHArPlsTi~ahfk6m8DAuo7S7QGgqrI5j8u6uwQ4yTSItYxPQl83WkZ8-N7Pk8QGsWWeQwYzuz0OZM0n~VZLZoRQF-1~OflJZHFKBN1YvXWQMQ56AoMB01HGYeunPU5NiMTbNzEvjg51oX0~jGcuSnlTszMsSlLWB4-a4JA2WjWnT5gmdD4f8J01eLGSFOXG-uH8rbcs6HFjhYuxhSD~LNzhZqhBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Clay Gleason presented consolidated year‑end updates from each school to the RSU 06/MSAD 06 board and said detailed annotated goal documents were included in the meeting packet. The presentation summarized priorities at the high school, middle school and each elementary site, focusing on school safety, scheduling, MTSS/BARR implementation, math and literacy interventions, and chronic absenteeism.

Nut graf: Directors welcomed the breadth of initiatives but several — led by Director Moses — urged clearer, more quantifiable goals and a workshop format in the fall when complete spring assessment data are available so the board can evaluate progress against measurable targets.

Highlights administrators reported: the high school implemented a new semester schedule and a flexible remediation block; the middle school reported 68 students brought forward for Community Connect interventions and is working to standardize intervention tracking; Buxton Center reported chronic absenteeism at 19 percent at the time of the update; Georgie Jack reported multiple family engagement activities and math/literacy interventions; several schools used BARR or MTSS processes to track student supports.

Directors’ response: Director Meserve questioned low turnout for a parent bullying forum at the high school; Director Moses asked for more quantitative, measurable goals and suggested a fall workshop once spring assessment (NEWA) and other data are available; other directors supported the call for specificity and asked administrators to return with precise metrics in the fall.

Ending: Administrators said they will present full year‑end data in the fall wrap‑around review and welcomed a workshop to examine measurable goals with the full dataset.","Superintendent Clay Gleason and principals presented year‑end goal updates for each school, noting work on safety, scheduling, MTSS/BARR, math and literacy; directors requested a fall workshop with complete spring assessment data and more specific, measurable goals.",{"_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},6231838,"Board authorizes switching to Guardian private plan for Maine paid family medical leave, citing near‑term savings",432,3542000,3974000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e&start=3542&end=3974","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e/thumbnail_3542000.jpg","/articles/6231838/Maine/Board-authorizes-switching-to-Guardian-private-plan-for-Maine-paid-family-medical-leave-citing-nearterm-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231838-b645807cc50e9a08cb3c1137efb1fbe2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773867684&Signature=IJCyDXE22~xtOEERJj0YrKViOkr1UoRlvfp2UtYKY7IEwtOVvq85XOAFvNQxZRPIQdSG50t2~WNwJdGQLhPNWIiKm2BN342V1QCXagyczCWfJrn4lYw4YcdO4FVHe~ptqLCfkz4NGGc4jEZ6bEMLCDnvIP1Vv~KllOkDdPB5yt7jsgbtsqbHGHsSAL25wtUbJvgADyxCYBRQUNgfI63mcnQ9RJNwshFAvaj1qyH7FAZ962X-C--ViPX2tTlOnq7FjPbAG6s7QhEBq3DXPufy3XolSL9QcNROfDk3~iC5BmNutQB8husnl-O4XbN67tlhy8s06NwT~GILhP0BiHZk~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The RSU 06/MSAD 06 Board of Directors authorized the superintendent to enroll the district in a private paid family medical leave plan with Guardian, a decision the board’s business manager said would produce near‑term savings if the application is filed by the end of May.

Don Pooler, the district business manager, told the board Guardian offered a 0.95 percent premium instead of the state program’s 1.0 percent rate; under the Guardian quote the employer and employee would each pay 0.475 percent beginning May 1, 2026 if the district completes the private plan application by May 31. Pooler said that, by choosing Guardian, the district would avoid paying the State of Maine the employer portion for the April–June window and estimated total savings of about $405,000 across employer and employee shares for the district’s fiscal year accounting.

Nut graf: The board voted 10‑0 to authorize the superintendent to enter a private plan with Guardian. The district’s business manager said the private option locks a rate for two years and avoids some vendor‑imposed changes other bidders requested, such as moving voluntary benefits. He also advised the board the district could not switch back to the state program for three years after choosing a private plan.

Pooler provided a breakdown: he said MSAD 6 would avoid approximately $90,000 in April–June FY25 payments and an additional $315,000 for July–April FY26 under the Guardian plan, with employer savings of about $247,500 and employee savings of about $157,500. Board members asked whether the state would challenge the private plan; Pooler said the state has authorized approved private providers and that the district would not expect a challenge if it uses an approved provider.

Directors also asked timing questions about when employees could access benefits and whether the state bucket of funds would have been available sooner; Pooler said even if the district remained with the state program, availability of state benefits could be delayed and that private carriers maintain their own reserves and processes.

Ending: The board approved the superintendent’s authority to enter the private plan by a 10‑0 vote; administrators will file the application by May 31 to realize the near‑term savings described in the presentation.","The RSU 06/MSAD 06 board authorized the superintendent to enroll the district in a private paid family medical leave plan offered by Guardian after the business manager presented a cost comparison showing estimated employer and employee savings if application is submitted by May 31.",{"_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},6231843,"Board approves new elementary STEM special to add weekly science/engineering instruction if enrollment allows",343,3072000,3415000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e&start=3072&end=3415","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428520-2e876df1e94fc8c7334b3b0e9a58681e/thumbnail_3072000.jpg","/articles/6231843/Maine/Board-approves-new-elementary-STEM-special-to-add-weekly-scienceengineering-instruction-if-enrollment-allows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231843-700da4c688b3a6f5277592afb204e984/orig.mp4?Expires=1773867684&Signature=NOikuW85Xm~-K7oIZaDhzEsrc89VzmAq-TXrpB00lkWtHWCtV4ANn2ca3g4A-HabCLKbygePcRHRuSjzKlq2gdtgP~7~qp5cvheQN8iCtQnBTMYpeC~EmABezHD4gUQymle911Nz6qAZ5xc8rwJ3MBOz3exNc8nMXK2nfPzR~ymswDF92DUC2xajS-M9HuVL9FSxpNpaZdmfha9KcZurJihCE6FG0BIOW3dQa8yNNITD8guOxs-uEOA1k1nxf5nDkjS4EQ3YfEyZCuxFf6bxnp8S9xRKKMJdQOww67m3qZv9lU9kaTOmNYoTVMu2UL0qON3kUtcAE~rujrGmFhM6Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The RSU 06/MSAD 06 Board of Directors approved a new elementary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) special to provide a dedicated weekly period for science and engineering instruction at the elementary level.

The motion to adopt the program was made by Director Kreutz and seconded on the floor; the board voted 10‑0 to approve the plan. The curriculum committee had unanimously recommended the change after reviewing district science assessment results and the difficulty elementary classroom teachers face finding dedicated instructional time for science concepts.

Nut graf: The program will add a fifth “special” to the elementary rotation (in addition to library, art, music and physical education) to create more focused science and engineering learning time. District leaders said the program will be staffed with three positions identified through attrition so there is no new net cost to the FY‑26 budget if kindergarten enrollment does not rise enough to require those positions for classrooms.

Superintendent Clay Gleason told the board the proposal is a “0 cost” plan provided current enrollment projections hold. Board members were told the staffing plan depends on kindergarten numbers; if kindergarten enrollment increases significantly the district may not be able to reassign positions from attrition and implementation could be delayed.

The curriculum committee packet included program design details and sample content across grades; proponents said the special focuses on building foundational scientific thinking — measuring, observing, designing and explaining — skills middle and high school teachers say many incoming students lack. Ms. Casey, a principal who helped design the proposal, attended the meeting to answer technical questions.

Ending: With the board’s approval, administrators said they will post and fill the positions as attrition is confirmed and will notify the board if enrollment changes affect the staffing plan.","The RSU 06/MSAD 06 board voted unanimously to add an Elementary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math special, funded through staff attrition if kindergarten enrollment does not increase; three positions were identified from attrition and the program carries no new net cost to the budget if enrollments remain stable.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Elementary principals report broad rollout of BARR program; federal funding rescinded but schools say internal capacity can sustain work

Superintendent delivers year‑end goals update; directors press for more quantitative fall workshop

Board authorizes switching to Guardian private plan for Maine paid family medical leave, citing near‑term savings

Board approves new elementary STEM special to add weekly science/engineering instruction if enrollment allows