Work continues on RSU 68 budget

SeDoMoCha principal will be departing for DRHS

DOVER-FOXCROFT — RSU 68 officials are continuing work on developing the budget for the 2024-25 academic year. Superintendent Stacy Shorey gave an update during a meeting Tuesday evening, April 2 at the SeDoMoCha School.

Shorey said the budget committee met on March 26 to review a draft of the 2024-25 finances. The latest updates concerned insurance information, with a 10 percent increase included in the budget but the district is waiting to see if rates would be at this amount or closer to 11.5 percent.

“We are confident that what we are asking towns this year will not change,” Shorey said. She said the overall increase to taxpayers would be $147,179 or 3.15 percent from the 2023-24 combined assessment of $4,670,845 for Charleston, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson, and Sebec

Shorey said Charleston’s proposed assessment would increase by $8,507 or 1.39 percent, Dover-Foxcroft would have an increase of $64,030 or 2.29 percent, Monson’s share would rise by $54,243 or 9 percent, and for Sebec the town assessment would be up by $20,339 or 2.99 percent.

Earlier this year RSU 68 received the preliminary funding report from the Maine Department of Education, with this amount up by $422,000 from 2023-24. In the current RSU 68 budget $7.45 million is provided by the state as part of the near $13.4 million total. The near $13.4 million figure was up by $566,665 (approximately 4.4 percent) from the previous year’s $12,817,099 total.

Shorey said the budget would be presented in-depth at the Tuesday, May 7 meeting and the school board would take a formal vote on approval that evening. She also said she will meet with the four community select boards to discuss the budget with each at an upcoming meeting.

Later in May will be the annual district budget meeting, with the total spending planning approved that night moved to a referendum in June for final approval.

In other business, Shorey read aloud the resignation letter from SeDoMoCha School Principal Adam Gudroe announcing his decision to depart at the end of the June to become the assistant principal/athletic director at Dexter Regional High School.

At its March meeting, the SAD 46 school board voted to hire Gudroe beginning July 1 through June 30, 2026 at a salary of $89,500 for year one of the contract.

In his letter Gudroe wrote about his desire to become a leader at a secondary institution and an opportunity came up that he would regret not taking.

Gudroe had spent six years at SeDoMoCha. He previously served half a dozen years as assistant principal/athletic director at the Ridge View Community School, which also houses both elementary and middle school grades, in Dexter. A 1999 Dexter Regional High School graduate, Gudroe taught math and coached — including five seasons as the head wrestling coach at his alma mater — in SAD 46 before becoming an administrator.

SeDoMoCha Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Cameron Archer said the SeDoMoCha Middle School wrestling team won its first Penquis League title in more than a decade.

He said coaches RJ Nelson and Corey Bjornson did a great job. “Kudos to them and to the team for the hard work they put in over six weeks,” Archer said.

The athletic director said the unified basketball season featured six games. “I can’t say it enough, it was an awesome experience being at those games,” Archer said.

He said baseball and softball pitchers are currently taking part in arm strengthening exercises across town at Foxcroft Academy’s Jim Robinson Field House. Thanking the secondary school for letting the Eagle athletes use the facility Archer said it is “a great asset that we have to utilize up there.”

Full spring sports practices are set to start on Tuesday, April 9. Archer said about 100 students have signed up and there may need to be cuts made from the baseball and softball programs but he said the hope is those athletes not making the team will consider being part of the track and field squad.

Shorey said RSU 68 applied for Title 1A reallocation funds and has been awarded $37,000 for the summer school program. Funding will help pay for six teachers, student transportation, and take-home books. She said the program is open to all elementary students and is available for middle schoolers in need of academic assistance.

The district has also been awarded a $51,000 literacy grant from the Department of Education.

“The majority of the funds were for grade level books, many are already here,” Shorey said.