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RSU 23 stays third on state construction priority list; district outlines tentative timeline for new school
Summary
Superintendent John Suttie told the RSU 23 board that the district remains third on the state construction priority list and expects Department of Education guidance within 12 months to begin enrollment and land studies; he said a 2028 groundbreaking and occupancy around 2031–2032 are possible, with any extras requiring local funding.
Superintendent John Suttie told the RSU 23 School Board on Nov. 20 that the district retained third place on the state construction priority list and that the two projects ahead of RSU 23 have been approved. He said the district expects to hear from the state Department of Education within the next 12 months, which would clear the way to form a building committee and start enrollment projections, land surveys and architect/engineer selection.
Suttie outlined a tentative schedule discussed at the meeting: the district hopes for a formal green light from the department by November 2026, aims to break ground around 2028 if approvals proceed on schedule, and expects a multi-year construction period that could lead to occupancy in the 2031–2032 school year. He cautioned that the state funds projects based on square feet per pupil and classroom-size formulas, and that additions beyond the state-approved program — for example an athletic field or an auditorium — would require locally approved bond funding.
The superintendent said the district has permission from the Department of Education to solicit enrollment-projection consultants and to appoint land surveyors to assess buildable acreage adjacent to the high school, including the presence of wetlands and vernal pools that could delay the project. The minutes record the timeline and study steps but do not include precise funding estimates or a binding schedule.
Suttie also used his report to thank custodial staff for maintaining buildings while short-handed and to note that RSU 23 will distribute 70 Thanksgiving baskets to families next Tuesday, crediting Leah Botko and Diana Asanza for organizing the effort. The minutes indicate full details of facility planning and the principal’s school update were presented in slides or video; the written minutes direct readers to the recorded presentations for complete content.
Next steps listed in the minutes include awaiting written notice from the Department of Education that would permit formation of a building committee and beginning enrollment and land studies; no formal motions or approvals on project funding were taken at the Nov. 20 meeting.
