Public input sought for SAD 41 Comprehensive Needs Assessment
MILO — SAD 41 Superintendent Darcie Fournier is seeking public feedback concerning the district’s Comprehensive Needs Assessment, which can be emailed directly to her at dfournier@msad41.us.
“We are seeking feedback from anyone who is willing to give us feedback,” Fournier said during a June 4 school board meeting at the Penquis Valley School.
According to the Maine Department of Education, each public school must complete a Comprehensive Needs Assessment in order to receive federal funds.
Each district’s assessment informs the direction of each federal program funding source, and is a reflection of the school’s current state, practices and functionality. The document creates a clear plan including the school’s current areas of strength, areas for improvement, and intended action.
The intent of the assessment is to create alignment between district and school goals, prevent the duplication of work and reporting to Maine DOE and to create a purposeful and meaningful approach to leverage state, local and federal funding.
Public feedback from the SAD 41 community will be given to district administrators who can adjust the Comprehensive Needs Assessment accordingly.
“It will help direct our priorities for grant funds,” Fournier said, saying the deadline to email her is July 1.
In other business, there was not much to report prior to Tuesday’s budget validation referendum, Business Manager Heidi Sisco said.
Last month attendees at the annual district budget meeting gave their approval to a proposed 2025-26 budget of $11,907,487. The figure is a 5.95 percent increase, or $668,330, from the current $11,239,156 budget.
Five retiring SAD 41 employees were recognized, with those in attendance presented with plasques. The honorees are ed tech Kelly Bradeen, social worker Amber Gahagan, Food Service Director Susan Mulherin, grade 4 teacher Debora Page and Brownville/Milo Elementary Principal Carol Smith.
Brownville Elementary teacher Andrea Mills, whose resignation was accepted, was also recognized by the school board.