Superintendents try to plan for expected consolidation

Kennebec Journal, May 22, 2007

(excerpt) One superintendent.

That's the latest school district consolidation plan, released Monday afternoon, facing residents of Manchester, Mount Vernon, Monmouth, Fayette, Readfield, Wayne, Winthrop, Farmingdale and Hallowell.

Under the most recent plan, those towns would join to created RSU 30 -- a consolidated school district of about 4,000 students.

The plan would mean that, of five school superintendents governing those towns now, one -- or none -- could have a job with RSU 30.

"We already have alliances with all of the schools in the proposed district," said Richard Abramson, superintendent for Maranacook Area Schools, one of five administrators who could compete for the position of RSU 30 superintendent.

Abramson said he wasn't entirely surprised by the proposed district: "If you look at the geography, it's contiguous."

As for there being only one superintendent where there are now five, Abramson said he and his colleagues may wind up doing different jobs in the proposed new school district.