Faced with an estimated $1.8 million in budget cuts over the next two years, school officials brought forward two primary cost-cutting options. Both would involve moving students.

Jim Boothby, superintendent for the RSU, which includes Bucksport, Orland, Prospect and Verona Island, stressed that nothing has been finalized. He said sacrifices are inevitable, however.

“Obviously we took a look at the status quo, and we didn’t even come close to the money we needed to find,” he said.

State general purpose aid to the district is expected to drop $854,000 next school year. In 2011-12, the figure will drop another $450,000. An additional $497,000 in federal stimulus money will also dry up.

RSU 25 Proposed Budget Options

Option 1

-Move Orland Consolidated School students in grades five through eight into Bucksport Middle School

-Eliminate Orland Consolidated School’s extracurricular programs

-Move central office to Orland

-Eliminate after-school bussing

-Eliminate summer school

-Eliminate the equivalent of about 20 full-time staff positions

Estimated Savings: $ 1.1 million

Option 2

-Establish grade level schools

- All pre-kindergarten students would attend the Jewett School in Bucksport

- Kindergarten through second grade students would go to the Miles Lane School in Bucksport

- All third- and fourth-graders would attend Orland Consolidated School

- Grades five through eight would be at Bucksport Middle School

-Move central office to the Jewett School

-Eliminate the equivalent of about 26 full-time positions

Estimated Savings: $1.3 million

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