According to draft subcommittee reports of Wiscasset's future of the schools committee, regionalization is feasible; teachers', voters' and the community's caring set Wiscasset apart; and, if the high school grades were tuitioned out, Wiscasset Middle High School could, with upgrades, serve PreK through eighth graders, leaving Wiscasset Elementary School for reuse or sale; and no both doable and "beneficial" alternative to Wiscasset has been found for the high schoolers to go.

The town posted the draft reports at wiscasset.gov along with the agenda for the committee's 6 p.m. Monday, June 16 meeting at the town office and over Zoom. That meeting time comes after the Boothbay Register/Wiscasset Newspaper's early finish of its June 19 edition due to the Juneteenth holiday. So check wiscassetnewspaper.com and the June 26 print edition for any outcomes of the meeting.

Emailing the draft reports to committee members June 10, Selectmen's Chair Sarah Whitfield, board liaison to the committee, wrote: "Obviously a lot of work will need to be done to put (the three drafts) in one final draft but please take time before Monday's meeting to go over them. Sub-committees should be prepared to answer questions about them at Monday's meeting." The Zoom link will be published at wiscasset.gov

In its draft report, the "tuitioning out" subcommittee states it looked at savings on instruction, and not savings in other areas because those things would still be needed for the other grades. "We looked at what the actual WMHS instructional budget was for FY24. $2,286,663.43. This number was taken from the school budget report given to the school committee in January of 2025 at the first workshop for the 25/26 school budget. This number does not include special education, athletics, operations and maintenance, system administration, or food services."

The draft explains, "We understand that a portion of all those budgets would be reduced slightly with our high school students moving to other schools, but because all of these other systems would need to stay in place for our Pre-K - 8 students, we did not figure them into our equation."

The draft supports providing high schoolers' transportation if they get tuitioned out. "This (transportation) is not required, but we believe it is very much needed. We foresee an additional minor expense as we did not factor the transportation budget into our original cost analysis," it states.

According to the draft, Wiscasset would no longer receive or pay high school tuition except for "any special education students where Wiscasset would be responsible for addressing their needs."

As for moving PreK through fifth grade from WES to WMHS where sixth through eighth grades would also continue, the draft states "There would be an initial investment to make the changes necessary, but over time there would be a cost savings with only one school ..."

But according to the draft, the subcommittee also found, through a check of area high schools, "most only had limited availability to accept more students. Only Boothbay has the capacity to accept a larger number of our students, but we were also informed that their school facilities are in need of significant upgrades. This leads us to believe that this would not be a beneficial change for our Wiscasset students."

The draft report of the "status quo" subcommittee, meanwhile, states, "Wiscasset School Department has set a high standard for the physical care and maintenance of its buildings which is supported by the work completed over the yearsand the establishment and monitoring of a ten year capital improvement plan. Visitors often comment on the pride of the place visible on both campuses ... Wiscasset has consistently passed school budgets that include proactive maintenance and timely updates. These decisions have prevented large-scale crises and have kept facilities both functional and inviting ... Wiscasset’s attention to physical space ... reinforces a culture of care and academic engagement."

The same draft notes interventionists have been added to aid achievement; the department has started getting revenue from a program it has hosted for years at WMHS, Sheepscot Regional Education Program; a survey on school climate at WMHS found  80% of students reported they felt safe in the building, and over 75% agreed they had at least one trusted adult there. "Students also rated the school highly for inclusiveness and teacher support, with consistent responses indicating that staff members are responsive, flexible, and respectful of student needs," the draft states.

"WMHS has built a school environment where academic growth is nurtured by trust, community, and genuine care." But the survey aldo found "some students reported that course offerings felt limited, especially in advanced electives and non-core subjects. Others noted that mental health support, though available, could be expanded. Importantly, students expressed a desire for more experiential learning opportunities ... These findings align with the direction WMHS is already heading—through the integration of place-based learning programs like the Harvey Gamage schooner voyage, community apprenticeships, and field-based science. Student desire for meaning,relevance, and connection is not a challenge to overcome; it is a call to action and an opportunity to deepen learning in powerful ways."

The "regionalization" subcommittee's draft states the WMHS building "is in good condition and can accommodate at least an additional 170-plus students. Neighboring high schools do not have the capacity to absorb enrollment from either or both Wiscasset or Boothbay in total. A larger school would most likely increase program offerings and reduce cost per student, two primary concerns of Wiscasset resident(s). A successful regional high school in the Wiscasset area would grow opportunity in the region overall.

"A regional high school in Wiscasset would serve a geographic area similar to that served by Morse in Bath and Lincoln (Academy) in Newcastle/Damariscotta," the draft continues.

Challenges that draft cites include changing the " local identity" of the high schools involved, including name, mascot and culture, Other challenges listed are "Transportation times, especially for the Boothbay peninsul; building improvements or replacement needed over time; creating a new governance structure; and integrating administration."

The draft lists Wiscasset, Westport Island, Edgecomb, Alna, Whitefield, Dresden, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport as towns with "high potential for regional high school collaboration."

The three draft reports are attached to this article.