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Superintendent outlines early‑childhood mandate, strategic plan timeline and budget workshops
Summary
Superintendent Michelle Gray told the RSU 5 board the district is responding to a state mandate on early‑childhood services, nearing completion of a community‑informed "portrait of the graduate," and preparing detailed budget work for a Nov. 19 workshop.
Superintendent Michelle Gray summarized three major, ongoing areas of district work: early childhood implementation, strategic planning and the budget.
Gray told the board the district currently lists several staffing vacancies, including approximately 5.5 special‑education educational‑technology (EdTech) positions spread across Moore Street School, Freeport High School and Freeport Middle School, and roughly 2.5 custodian roles (some combined with bus driving duties). The superintendent said the district has used contracted specialists (teacher of the deaf, speech‑language pathologist, and a 1:1 nurse) to maintain required services while hiring continues.
On early childhood, Gray said an early‑childhood task force met to study a state mandate that districts assume responsibility for child‑find and provide a free appropriate public education for 3–5 year‑olds by July 2028. The task force will inventory existing strengths — notably the district’s early intervention staff model — and expects to return with options and timing for board consideration by January.
Gray said the strategic planning process is nearing the portrait‑of‑a‑graduate phase; the portrait will be presented to the board in December and will guide subsequent mission, values and action‑step development.
On the budget, Gray described a new approach to staff input by holding listening sessions and administering a staff survey; the administrative team is synthesizing themes that will shape districtwide budget priorities (for instance professional development, class sizes and special‑needs resources). The superintendent announced a special board budget workshop at 5 p.m. Nov. 19 at Durham Community School followed by the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Gray also announced the retirement of long‑time Freeport Middle School kitchen manager Bertha Hilton at year’s end and confirmed a hire for Moore Street School kitchen manager, Linda DuPlessis.
Why it matters: The early‑childhood mandate has deadline‑driven implications for staffing, facilities and budget planning. The strategic plan and upcoming budget workshop set the timeline for decisions that will affect staffing and program priorities for the coming year.
What’s next: The early‑childhood task force will refine options for the board by January; the administration will bring more concrete budget modeling to the Nov. 19 workshop and seek board guidance on priorities. The superintendent also indicated the district would explore options for third‑party facility assessment and mapping to guide long‑term capital planning.
