CANTON – The SAD 43 board will decide May 23 where some or all of Canton Elementary School’s students will attend classes in the fall.
On Wednesday night, the board scheduled an informational meeting and straw vote for May 12 to hear from the district’s transportation director how much time Canton youngsters would have to spend on the bus if they attend Peru Elementary Elementary next fall. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Canton school.
At issue are several options for the 44 Canton students in kindergarten through fourth grade at the school. The options include:
• Move all to the classrooms that will be freed up in fall when Peru sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade classes move to Dirigo Middle School.
• Move the expected five kindergartners to Peru to join with the expected 12 there.
• Leave projected class sizes as they are.
“No one is promoting anything,” said SAD 21 Superintendent Tom Ward. “We want to facilitate something you will support. It’s not to save money, but it would.”
He estimated between $75,000 and $85,000 would be saved if Canton children attended school in Peru. He said later that all Canton teachers and support staff would retain their positions in the district.
Nearly 30 parents, grandparents and community members attended to hear the options and discuss their concerns.
With the recent merger of SAD 21 and Peru, the 75-year-old Canton school will be closed by the time a new elementary school is built on Route 108 in 2007 or 2008. Peru school will also be closed at that time.
But because Canton has so few students, administration and some parents have expressed concern that the small class sizes at the school could reduce socialization, diversity and competitiveness for youngsters.
Canton and Dixfield elementary schools’ Principal Kathy Richard said that if students remain at Canton next fall, likely classes would combine kindergarten and part of grade one for a total of 12 pupils; grade two and part of grade one for 19; and grades three and four for 13 students.
Other parents are concerned that young children would spend an hour or more traveling to Peru, or that they would be riding with students of all ages. Ward said all classes, kindergarten through grade 12, will begin their days at the same time next year. Some at Wednesday’s meeting also want to know more about the educational offerings at Peru Elementary School.
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