SAD 41 officials looking at preliminary budget numbers

MILO — SAD 41 received its preliminary state subsidy figures late last month from the Maine Department of Education, which were presented to the school board during a meeting at the Penquis Valley School on Feb. 1. 

Business Manager Heidi Sisco said SAD 41 would receive about $116,000 less in state subsidy in 2023-24 compared to the current academic year’s figure of a little more than $6.95 million in Essential Programs and Services funds.

She said the combined local requirement amount between Brownville, LaGrange and Milo will need to increase by about $114,000 from 2022-23’s near $1,260,000 figure.

Finson said the last year’s mill rate for the three district towns was $7.10 per $1,000 and next year this would rise to $7.29. She said the final ED 279 report will still be coming so the numbers for SAD 41 are subject to change.

Superintendent Michael Wright said property values are the key factor in determining state subsidy. He said in his 13-plus years, SAD 41 has always received a large portion of its budget from the state, usually about 75 percent with the $6.95 million from the state funding a large portion of the current gross budget of $10,818,490.

Wright said in the neighboring Howland-based SAD 31, the state has funded closer to 50 percent of its budget with the district needing to come up with the rest.

He said meetings with building administrators will start soon to discuss individual school requests for the budget.

Sisco added that through 58 percent of the academic year, 53 percent of the budget has been expended, which is typical, she said.

In other business, board member Chris Hamlin said she has been asked about recess options for grade 7-8 students.

Penquis Valley Principal Tina Dumond said last year the older middle school teachers asked for intervention time for students to receive subject-specific help, with this being held every other day and recess taking place on the opposite days. 

“Students in seventh and eighth grade last year were struggling a bit. There were a lot of behavior problems outside,” Dumond said.

She said this year grade 7-8 students have the option to head outside for recess time or stay in, and during the winter many students choose to remain indoors. “The students are doing work during this time,” the principal said.

Hamlin said studies have shown middle school students benefit from time outside, getting energy out during a break from the classroom. 

She said grade 5-6 social studies teacher Debora Page is working to get a bill passed in the state Legislature to require  recess for all K-8 students. Page and some students are scheduled to speak before a legislative committee on Feb. 9.

“I think we would acknowledge and support it if possible,” Hamlin said to her fellow directors.

“We had a lot of fun being part of (the 2023 WinterKids Winter Games). We did not win,” Milo Elementary Principal Stephanie Hurd said. She said students still got outside and families were involved.

Milo Elementary represented Piscataquis County in the statewide event as students took part in activities to get active and outside compete for prize money.

The Winter Games is a four-week series of challenges in outdoor physical activity, nutrition, family engagement, and winter carnival running Jan. 9 to Feb. 3. This year’s theme is My Wild Winter.