From the Superintendent
Last week I presented the proposed budget to the Board. This is the first step in a three-month public process that ends with a referendum vote on June 10. Here's some brief highlights:
- Total expenditures are up 7.47% over the current year, with 87% of this increase due to increases in staff salaries/benefits per contract negotiations.
- Tax increases for education are estimated at 5% in Cumberland and 4% in North Yarmouth, with both expected to drop over the next few weeks.
- Almost 74% of the budget goes directly to instruction, up 2% over the current year and far higher than the state average of 68%.
- New priorities/requests include safety and security, enrollment increases, instructional support, and operations, with $1,297,694 in new requests. Priorities are connected to the district's Strategic Plan in most cases.
- Enrollment priorities would add 2 new teaching positions at GMS 6-8 to respond to enrollment increases there, along with an additional 2-room modular unit at GMS.
- Safety priorities include purchasing Crisis Alert, a full-scale alert system that is now being used in many schools throughout the nation, including neighboring Yarmouth. This is the second year now that the Safety/Security Committee has advocated for this item in the budget. To learn more: Crisis Alert.
- In order to keep expenditures at a reasonable level, a number of reductions to the current budget are proposed, including eliminating 3 teacher/specialist positions. These positions are being reduced after reorganization of existing programs and services and it is my plan to accomplish this without a reduction-in-force.
- Given the large increase in fixed costs, we were unable to fund half of the priority requests submitted by schools and departments, leaving $1,170,700 on the table.
- Below are the six major drivers of the proposed budget with corresponding increases:
Regards,
Jeff Porter
GMS 4-5 celebrated Read America Week with guest readers from the school and greater community last week.
Notices from the Office of the Superintendent
2025-26 School Calendar
Here is the 2025-26 School Calendar for your reference with some highlights below:
- The school year starts after Labor Day as it did this school year, with September 2 the first day for grades 1-9.
- The school year opens with a staggered schedule to account for grade 9 onboarding and kindergarten/ Pre-K transitions.
- There are only 2 traditional weather (snow) days built into the calendar before reverting to remote learning days instead of the typical 3 days. This is due to starting school after Labor Day and the full 2-week December break.
- As in the past, weeks that are less than 5 days (i.e. holidays, etc) do not include a Wednesday early release day and full school weeks do have a scheduled early release. There are 2 exceptions to this rule built into this calendar: there will be full days on January 7 and February 25 even though they are full weeks because they occur directly after a vacation.
Calendar Updates 2024-25
- Reminder: No school this Friday, March 14. It is a staff professional learning day.
- June 11 will be an early release day.
- June 17 is the current last day of school
Superintendent Report
Click Here to view the latest Superintendent's Report. 
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MSAD #51 Board of Directors Information
All meetings will take place at 6:00 pm in the Gyger Room at Greely High School. For those of you unfamiliar with that room, the Gyger Room can be accessed from the GHS parking lot (the side without the electronic sign).
March 20 - Budget Workshop Meeting
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One Campus Project Information
For comprehensive information regarding the School Building Project, please visit the project page at: https://www.msad51.org/
Bid Award
The Board on March 6 approved the low bidder, Benchmark Construction, to construct the new Facilities Building with a base bid of $1,537,000. There were 7 bidders for this project.
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