Classes underway in RSU 68

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Students in RSU 68/Foxcroft Academy have been attending classes for nearly a week and administrators have said the 2024-25 academic year has gotten off to great start, as they told the RSU 68 School board during a meeting at the SeDoMoCha School on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

“Right now we are at 665 students as of today and that includes pre-K,” Principal Cameron Archer said. He said there are 357 enrolled in the elementary school and 308 on the middle school side of the building after four days of classes.

Archer said an open house held eight days prior was very well attended, believing it had the highest turnout of any in his seven years at SeDoMoCha. He also said there has been a lot of great energy and enthusiasm during the school day so far.

Fifty-five grade 6-8 students have signed up for band with 35 for chorus, as Archer said these numbers will likely continue to grow.

He said 119 students are taking part in fall athletics, up from the 87 he reported at last month’s meeting. Games will start later in the week for the Eagle teams.

Assistant Principal Davan Walker said she wanted to reiterate the great start to the school year. She said the open house was very beneficial for her to connect with families in her new position (last year she was the student success coach).

Walker said she has enjoyed positive office referrals and being able to call students’ homes with good news.

Foxcroft Academy Head of School Arnold Shorey said the secondary school has had a low key start to 2024-25. The enrollment is 410 with 74 boarding students.

Shorey said Jayme Chase will be presented with the James S. Holmes Award during a morning ceremony on Friday, Sept. 6. 

The James S. Holmes Award — which has not been presented in several years — is given by the trustees to an outstanding member of the “Pony Herd,” who through his or her service has furthered the mission and goals of Foxcroft Academy. Holmes was a young country lawyer in Foxcroft and is credited with the founding of the school. It was due to his volunteer efforts that Foxcroft Academy exists today.

Shorey said Chase has been very active with the Foxcroft Academy Sports Boosters, even after her children graduated. Funds raised have benefited various sports teams and other extracurricular activities.

The sports boosters will be recognized during Friday evening’s football season opener vs. Belfast Area High School.

In other business, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said she met with the school board’s building and grounds committee to discuss an HVAC system upgrade as well as an elevator that could be funded in large part through the Maine Department of Education’s Revolving Renovation Fund.

Shorey said early estimates have the HVAC project being between $750,000 and $1 million and $110,000 to $120,000 for the elevator from the first to second floor of the elementary school. 

Based on the amount of state funding RSU 68 receives, the state would cover 67 percent of costs and the district would pay back the other 33 percent. “However, that amount is interest-free for 10 years,” Shorey said, with RSU 68 having until 2026 to start expending any awarded monies.

The superintendent will work on the grant applications and the directors will likely vote to move forward or not at the October meeting. A vote could be part of the school budget referendum next June.

Neighboring SAD 41 of Milo used the Revolving Renovation Fund program several years ago for air system upgrades at Milo and Brownville elementary schools. The $935,000 project had a $670,000/$280,000 split with SAD 41 paying back $28,000 annually over a decade.

In 2017 SAD 41 residents approved an approximate $474,000 Revolving Renovation Fund loan for a sprinkler system and elevator at the Penquis Valley School.