RSU 68 looks to have $173K increase in state subsidy for 2026-27

DOVER-FOXCROFT — RSU 68 is projected to have a bit more in state subsidy for next year’s budget.

During the monthly school board meeting on Tuesday evening at the SeDoMoCha School, Superintendent Stacy Shorey said RSU 68 should have an approximate $173,000 increase in what it receives from the state to fund the budget. Last year the district received $8.3 million-plus to go toward a total budget of $14,995,969.

The finance committee had its first meeting on Jan. 27, with this month’s session scheduled for Feb. 24.

“Traditionally the first meeting we talk about what the numbers look like,” Shorey said.

Discussions include a pair of guiding principles for budget work with the school board committed to making transparent, student-centered budget decisions that are best for the pupils and are fiscally responsible and the board is also committed to decisions that reflect the district mission statement.

Salaries for the SeDoMoCha School are set to be up, Shorey said.

“It will be an interesting journey to bring revenues and expenditures together and administrators here are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work,” the superintendent said.

In years past the finance committee has worked to bring a proposed budget to the full school board at its April meeting, with a vote by the directors coming in May. Later that month would be the annual district budget meeting, with the total spending plan approved then moved to a referendum the second Tuesday of June for final approval in the RSU 68 communities of Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson and Sebec.

In other business, RSU 68 officials heard from Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis President Dr. Beth Ruksniz, who was joined by fellow club member/grade 8 English language arts teacher Gabrielle Jolin, for a slideshow of Kiwanis activities throughout 2025. Events included the Piscataquis River Canoe Race, Hooked on Fishing, bike rodeo, dredging of the pond at Kiwanis Park and the annual auction.

The 75th auction held last July was the last such event for the Kiwanis.

“Unfortunately the workforce of our Kiwanis club is aging,” Dr. Ruksznis said. She said members picked up furniture donations but many of these bulky items sold for very little money and the effort was not as profitable as in year’s past.

The Kiwanis partners with RSU 68 and Foxcroft Academy on a community Christmas project. In 2025 nearly 200 children in more than 90 families received gifts for under the tree from the project, Jolin said, with item organizing and pickup done at the superintendent’s office on the Bangor Road.

About $16,000 in donations came in, Kiwanis spent about half of this and the remainder will be held for the 2026 Christmas project. Many “adopters” bought specific gifts for children.

“Without the auction we are looking to raise $12,000 from somewhere else,” Dr. Ruksznis said. 

After an absence of many years, the Maine Maple Sunday breakfast will be returning on the morning Sunday, March 22 in a partnership between the Kiwanis and meal host Foxcroft Academy.

“The reason I wanted them to come is everything they do is supporting our kids,” Board Chair Jenny Chase said. “The volunteer efforts of the Kiwanis don’t go unnoticed.”

Saying Kiwanis members are aging out, Chase said there is a need for younger members in order to keep the various club programs going.

“Just come and help with the ability that you have to give,” Dr. Ruksznis said, as those interested can assist when and where they can and they do not necessarily need to be at every Kiwanis event.

“We’re very proud to help Kiwanis,” Foxcroft Academy Head of School Arnold Shorey said. “We’re very excited and all proceeds go to Kiwanis.”

The last Maine Maple Sunday breakfast in Dover-Foxcroft, which was held at Foxcroft Academy before the pandemic, drew nearly 1,000.

“We want to build that back up to where 1,000 people come, it’s a wonderful tradition we are proud to bring back,” Shorey said.

The head of school said both Foxcroft Academy basketball teams look to have high enough seeds in the Class C North standings to be able to go directly to the quarterfinal rounds of the tournament at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor later in the month. This would be the first time in 16 years both Pony teams go directly to the quarterfinals in the same season.

SeDoMoCha School Principal/Athletic Director Cameron Archer reported that the middle school basketball season has concluded, with the Eagle girls winning the Penquis League championship for the second consecutive season. 

The SeDoMoCha cheer team took part in a pair of competitions, placing sixth in the small school division at an event in Brewer and finishing fifth in the Penquis League championship in Lincoln.

Wrestling is underway with 16 grapplers taking part. Unified basketball signups will be going out and seven games are scheduled, the biggest slate in program history.

The board accepted the retirement of Special Services Director Sue Terrill, effective at the end of the school year, after Stacy Shorey read Terrill’s letter aloud. Terrill has been in the position for 16 years.

“It’s so hard to leave, but it’s the right thing,” Terrill said.