A meeting originally scheduled for Monday on the future of the T.C. Hamlin School in Randolph will be re-scheduled in the wake of the storm that knocked out power to thousands.
Enrollment at the school is down to 44 students, prompting officials at Maine School Administrative District 11 to call a meeting to talk about enrollment data and options regarding the school.
“What’s the future of the school? Do we continue to operate it? If we close the school, what does that look like?” Superintendent Patricia Hopkins said earlier this month. “We don’t want to be short-sighted about this.”
On Monday, Hopkins indicated via email that she will send out a notice about the need to reschedule the Monday meeting.
She said she has heard all kinds of rumors about the fate of the school, but she confirmed no decisions have been made.
This is not the first time district officials have discussed the possible closure of Hamlin. With a capacity of 155, it’s the smallest school in the district, which is made up of Gardiner, West Gardiner, Pittston and Randolph.
Hopkins said a committee was assessing space needs for the district in 2010, her first year as superintendent there. In 2011, enrollment at the school was 120.
A committee also met during the 2013-14 school year to consider reconfiguring the district. Part of those considerations was closing the Randolph elementary school, but it has remained open. With the transfer of the combined second and third grades, 44 students remain at the school, in kindergarten, first grade and a combined third-through-fifth-grade class. Twenty-one staff members are listed for the school; none is a principal.
The majority of students are from Randolph, Hopkins said.
The procedure for closing a school is spelled out by the state Department of Education. The requirements include completing a cost analysis report and other paperwork. If a school district pursues that route, voter approval is required.
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