FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 directors plan to meet again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Mt. Blue Campus to try to begin deliberations on a budget for 2018-19.

Once a budget is set, it will go before voters next month.

The board continued review Tuesday of a proposed $35.3 million budget, but it has not begun deliberations and did not make any decisions Tuesday night. The spending package is about $1.7 million more than the current budget. Of the proposed $35.3 million budget, taxpayers would be responsible for raising $13 million.

Directors received another presentation from elementary school principals on a proposed kindergarten-through-second-grade alternative education program for students who are considered “nonregulated.” It would serve a total of eight students at a time at one location, most likely W.G. Mallett School in Farmington. Students in need of the services from other schools would be bused to the school.

Nonregulated behavior means behavior that exceeds what is typical or occasional, behavior that is inappropriate, lacking control of emotions and impulses that includes running out of classrooms; punching, kicking, biting; emptying all supplies in a classroom, overturning furniture; threatening or harming self and/or other students; and other behavior that requires evacuating a room.

The cost of implementing a Pathways for All Learners Program is estimated at $315,383 without factoring in a vehicle — a small bus with a lift, camera and radio. The bus, if that is what the board proposes, could be financed over a five-year period, Business Manager Kris Pottle said. The cost of a driver is already included in the amount.

It is anticipated that the program would affect more than 100 students in classrooms positively.

The board also will review a cost proposal for a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade program next Tuesday

The board also reviewed a proposed Franklin County adult basic education/adult and continuing education proposal for a total of $481,123. RSU 9 taxpayers would be responsible for raising $173,874 of it, which is $6,150 more than last year, program director Glenn Kapiloff said.

In other business, Christine Gatto-Shea, district director of special education services, received a standing ovation for her services to the district over the past five years. Superintendent Tom Ward read her resignation letter to the board. She plans to continue to work with special needs students and families as a school psychologist, as she has done most of her career. Her last day will be July 9, but she is willing to stay on short-term to make a smooth transition for the new director.

The board also voted to hire Mary Redmond-Luce, of Jay, as full-time student services coordinator at Foster Career and Technical Education Center at the Mt. Blue Campus. She has been interim coordinator since Jan. 2.

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