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 directly affect classroom schedules, staff assignments and supports for students who need intervention or language services.

Details of the middle school proposals Dr. Fournier said the scheduling work was driven by a values survey and a short planning timeline. The administration presented two options the middle school says would produce manageable class sizes while reducing workforce needs.

- Option 1 would keep more of the current unified arts rotation but yield several ELA sections with larger enrollments (mid-20s in some classes), and would not guarantee a consistent STEM teacher for grade 8. - Option 2 would move to a six-period daily rotation so math and ELA would meet each day and STEM/science would be offered daily at each grade level; the administration and the scheduling committee said that option produces class-size targets in the high teens to low 20s (roughly 18'20 students) and would allow the school to cover core instruction with one fewer full-time equivalent teacher than currently staffed in the building.

Dr. Fournier and the scheduling committee told the board the second option would require rethinking the unified arts rotation (art, music, wellness, languages, JMG) and embedding some wellness/health standards into other parts of the day (for example, science, PE or advisory) so students still receive required health instruction.

Multilingual learners and related staffing Superintendent Michelle said district data show 49 students currently receive direct ESOL services and 11 are being monitored; the packet showed the district's current ESOL staffing as a mix of full- and part-time positions (the high school listed 1.0 FTE, the middle school and Mass Landing together 1.0 FTE, Durham/Moore Street 1.0 FTE, and Pownall none). Michelle said the administration revised an initial reduction from 1.0 FTE to 0.5 FTE for the district ESOL position after additional analysis. Several principals present told the board their recommendation is for a higher staffing level (they reported recommending about 0.8 FTE for next year); administrators and principals disagreed on the precise FTE that would best cover projected student needs and travel between schools.

Public comment and board reaction Several members of the public spoke to the board before and during the budget discussion. Freeport resident and parent Valerie Williams said she had heard a proposal to cut Freeport Middle School science and support staff and urged the board to reconsider, saying, "to even consider cutting it is egregious." Daniel Freund, a resident who spoke earlier in the meeting, asked the board to review a third-party analysis of employee health insurance but did not tie that request to a formal budget motion; he said he believed the district could achieve large insurance savings and offered to meet with the board.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the assumptions behind the schedules and the feasibility of pulling wellness standards into other courses. Several trustees praised middle school staff for developing the options quickly; others said they were reluctant to approve cuts affecting direct student supports without further information. One board member summarized the middle school presentation by saying the team had proposed ways to deliver required content with fewer full-time staff but acknowledged the approach depends on schedule and program redesign that still requires follow-up.

What happens next Superintendent Michelle asked the board what follow-up information it wanted; members requested additional cost/run-rate scenarios showing the tax impacts of retaining certain positions (for example, keeping the middle school positions or increasing ESOL staffing to principals' recommended levels). The board plans another budget deliberation at its next meeting and aims, if possible, to settle on a proposed budget to present at the public hearing on March 26.

Ending: The discussion closed with no final vote on staffing; trustees asked staff for more targeted cost scenarios and for clearer class-size implications before any final adoption.