RSU 10 board restores funding to keep Mountain Valley High School French program

After extensive public comment and a lengthy discussion about enrollment and program options, the RSU 10 school board agreed at its April meeting to restore $56,553 to the 2025-26 budget to preserve the French language program at Mountain Valley High School.

Speakers from across the community urged the board to keep French in the curriculum, citing cultural heritage, college-admissions requirements and workforce needs. Marie Lane, a former Mountain Valley High School French teacher, read testimonials from students and colleagues spanning four decades and said cutting the program would “be a tremendous loss to MBHS and the families it serves.” Darcy Chase, an officer of the chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French, told the board that “keeping the French program makes sense” because of Rumford’s Franco-American heritage and recent arrivals of Francophone immigrants to the state. Mala Castrein, the current French teacher at Mountain Valley High School, warned that “restricting access to a world language…is nothing less than shortsighted” for students’ postsecondary and workforce opportunities. Former teachers and residents including Mary Cobras, Will Lane and Craig Zirhorst added personal testimonials about the program’s local importance.

School administrators acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. Mountain Valley High School administrator "Mr. Danleyk" said the program has seen declining enrollment: roughly 40 students in 2022-23, 27 in 2023-24 and about 17 in 2024-25. Danleyk said those lower numbers were the primary reason French was identified for reduction in earlier budget planning. He said the district can pursue continuity options for students who have already started French, including a small number of seats in a virtual high-school program the district uses, and outreach to neighboring schools that may offer additional sections.

Board members discussed short- and long-term options to sustain world-language offerings, including using classroom space in the new Mountain Valley Community School for middle-school language instruction, sharing a teacher between buildings, and outreach or recruitment activities to grow enrollment. Board member Kristen moved to add $56,553 back into the budget to reinstate the French position; the motion was seconded (second not recorded) and the board then signaled consensus to include the funding. The chair announced the motion carried by board consensus (a thumbs-up vote), and Leah confirmed the restored amount would appear in the next budget draft.

The board and administrators said they will explore schedules, feeder-program options for middle grades, and online alternatives where needed. A final budget vote is scheduled for a later meeting; administrators said if the board does not put the funding back, the district would not be able to restore the position for the coming school year.

The decision followed extensive public comment during the meeting’s allotted public-comment period; speakers repeatedly linked the program to local Franco-American heritage, student college requirements and practical job readiness.