SAD 46 directors voted Wednesday to send a $38,673 appropriation request to cover expenses of the board of directors and a $564,363 appropriation request to cover the expenses of principals to a district budget meeting June 29. The warrant for the district budget meeting will be signed at a special board meeting next week.

During Tuesday's referendum, residents defeated 348-343 the funds for the board of directors and defeated 361-331 the funds for the principals. All other warrant articles were approved.

There was no discussion Wednesday on the referendum other than an announcement of the voting results, their acceptance, and the motion to resubmit the articles for voter approval at a district budget meeting.

In other business Wednesday, directors learned that the state Department of Education is working with the district to address issues with the proposed location of a new school for kindergarten through grade eight. SAD 46 Superintendent Kevin Jordan said Wednesday that the issue of water is the only piece left to be resolved. He said district officials favor a looped water system while state officials do not.

Jordan said the state Board of Education will tentatively act on site approval for the new school at its Aug. 9 meeting. Public hearings will be held in the district on the project and a straw vote also must be taken before the project moves forward, he said.

Directors voted to eliminate sixth-grade classroom music since the length of class periods is being changed and other music offerings are available. The district is changing its 35-minute classes to 60-minute classes to provide more time for mathematics and reading.

The Dexter Primary School, the Garland Elementary School and two grades in the Exeter School will move to a trimester grade-reporting system in the fall. Under this method, there will be three ranking periods, and progress reports will be provided to parents every six weeks.

Directors also voted to offer summer educational programs for grades one through four, grades five through eight, and grades nine through 12 using federal funds.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Thursday, June 15, 2006 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."