RSU 40/MSAD 40 board approves moves to relieve Miller overcrowding; composite program shifted to Union

The RSU 40/MSAD 40 Board of Directors voted to relocate Miller School’s sixth-grade students to Dominic Middle School for the next school year, invite Miller families to transfer to other district elementary schools (including Friendship Village School) as space allows, and move the district’s elementary composite program to Union School.

Board members said the actions respond to persistent space shortages at Miller, where administrators have been using closets and non-classroom areas for instruction. The board’s decisions followed a lengthy discussion about scheduling, special-education services, transportation and the timing of changes as the budget is finalized.

The board motion to move Miller’s sixth grade to Dominic Middle School was made, seconded and put to a vote during the meeting; the motion was approved. Board members repeatedly urged staff to provide details on staffing, facility modifications and costs before finalizing implementation. Joshua (Dominic Middle School administrator) told the board that the change would “probably cause us to have to rebuild our process from the ground up,” citing the need to redesign schedules and preserve the middle school’s current program structure.

During public comment, Karen Selvig, an administrative assistant and Miller School employee, urged the board to consider the practical effects of proposed bus-route changes on families. She described the Southwest bus route that would be affected as one that “holds about 60 kids,” and listed streets and housing served by that route. Selvig warned the board that shifting that route to serve Friendship Village School could add travel time for some in-town families and affect split households and after-school care use.

Special-education staff and administrators said they can reassign related-service caseloads (speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy) to accommodate program moves but noted some travel by providers may be required. A special-education representative summarized that, from a service-delivery standpoint, staff reassignments could address needs but would require careful caseload and certification review.

Board members pressed for concrete numbers. Directors asked staff to produce a short implementation memo showing: how many classrooms would be required at Dominic Middle School (the district discussed two-to-three sixth-grade classrooms to accommodate an estimated 49 sixth graders), where displaced intervention and specialty spaces would relocate, any required hires or layoffs, and estimated one-time facility costs (board members cited a past modular-classroom project cost in the low hundreds of thousands as a reference point).

The board also approved a separate motion to relocate the elementary composite program to Union School. That motion passed at the meeting and was described by members as a step that would open needed rooms at Miller.

In addition to approving program and assignment changes, the board voted to invite Miller families to consider transferring their children to other elementary schools in the district — initially on a first-come, first-served basis and with families providing their own transportation unless district staff later identify transportation capacity. The board asked administration to develop clear transfer and transportation guidance for families and to report back with cost and logistics estimates.

Board members emphasized the district’s legal authority over student assignments. One director cited statute during the meeting, noting that the superintendent and district are responsible for assigning students to schools. Several directors said they wanted public engagement — including clear communications and tours — so families could weigh options before transitions occur.

Next steps: district staff were asked to return to the board with a written implementation plan that lists staffing impacts, facility modifications (including cost estimates), the transportation plan, and a timeline tied to the budget cycle. The board did not set an immediate deadline for when changes must take effect beyond the stated goal of implementing the sixth-grade move for the next school year.

Votes at a glance: - Move Miller School sixth grade to Dominic Middle School (motion made and seconded; outcome: approved; ballot details: see meeting minutes). - Invite Miller families to transfer to other district elementary schools (motion made and seconded; outcome: approved; district to clarify transportation conditions). - Move elementary composite program to Union School (motion made and seconded; outcome: approved).

The board scheduled follow-up work by staff and committees to provide the requested financial and operational detail before final implementation.