RSU 5 budget proposal would cut staff, prompt Freeport Middle School schedule changes to preserve class sizes

RSU 5 Superintendent Michelle (last name not stated), presenting the FY26 proposed budget at the board's March 12 meeting at Freeport High School, told the board the revised operating request would represent a 5.72% year-over-year increase and that administrators were recommending a mix of staffing adjustments and schedule changes to stay fiscally responsible while maintaining core programming.

The administration said it has proposed several staffing adjustments to meet budget priorities while preserving programming and student supports. Among the changes discussed were withdrawing a prior proposal to combine two 0.5 RTI positions at Freeport Middle School, reducing one multilingual/ESOL teacher position districtwide from an initial 1.0 FTE request to 0.5 FTE, and not filling a substitute custodian position (a $42,995 reduction noted in the packet). Dr. Fournier, Freeport Middle School principal, presented two alternate schedules the school's leadership and scheduling committee developed to absorb staffing reductions without increasing core class sizes.

Why this matters: The recommended adjustments would change how Freeport Middle School delivers unified arts, science and wellness instruction and how multilingual learners are staffed across buildings. Board members and members of the public said the proposals merit careful scrutiny because they…