RSU 40 budget workshop spotlights Friendship school risk and program cuts; board moves to review budget line by line

At a public budget workshop, the RSU 40/MSAD 40 School Board heard more than an hour of public comment about possible school consolidation, program cuts and staffing changes, including repeated warnings that Friendship Village School could effectively be closed by enrollment shifts rather than by a single vote.

Speakers representing parents, teachers and special‑education staff told the board that cuts to specialists and combining grade levels would reduce instructional quality and harm community cohesion. One commenter said the value of special classes “is not just 45 minutes of PD” and argued those programs produce lasting inclusion and cultural awareness. Another parent and teacher, Ima Bender, said combining grade levels would be “a disservice to our children” and urged preservation of class sizes and supports.

Why it matters: RSU 40 is weighing budget reductions against declining and shifting enrollment, and decisions about redistricting, staffing and facilities will affect programs across five elementary schools and the sustainability of small community schools such as Friendship. Several commenters offered concrete proposals — temporary independence for Friendship, phased transfers, fundraising for a teacher position, and a districtwide…