RSU 40 board approves moving all sixth graders to Madamic Middle School amid local concern

The RSU 40/MSAD 40 school board voted to move all sixth-grade students to Madamic Middle School beginning next school year.

Board discussion before the vote included concerns about equity, the experience of sixth graders in larger middle-school settings, and the challenges for small village schools like Prescott and Friendship. Rachel Morris (board member) said she could not "imagine a world in which all of the other sixth graders are moving" and described feeling conflicted; other board members emphasized equal experience for students from different towns.

The public comment period featured multiple parents, teachers and students who urged the board to keep sixth grade at village schools where small class sizes and familiar staff benefit younger students. Sarah Sanchez (president of a parent speaker) said her fifth-grade son was better served at Prescott by the "small, familiar faces" and asked the board to reconsider moving him to a blended middle-school setting.

Outcome and next steps: The motion to relocate sixth grades passed (transcript records the motion as passing with tally "706 to 120 to 55"). The board discussed scheduling and implementation details and directed administrators to follow standard operational steps to place students and manage transportation and staffing. Several members requested that administrators ensure supports for the youngest middle-school students during the transition.

Context: The vote was part of broader budget and facility conversations in which the board also considered program reinstatements and reserve-account options.