Another Maine Elementary School Closing Permanently at End of School Year

While we normally think about how individuals are affected by the economy, we need to remember that municipalities are also affected by inflation and other factors.

Because of this, we have seen many towns and cities make changes in how they operate.  In some cases, these changes have affected parks & rec departments and safety services.

In other cases, it has caused local school departments to reevaluate how they operate.

For example, in the last few years, we have heard about several school districts closing schools in order to save money.  In early April, we learned that the Oxford Hills School Board for MSAD 17 decided that the Waterford Memorial School would close at the end of the school year.  Days later, we learned that Sabattus Primary School would also be closing at the conclusion of the current school year.

Now, we are getting word that another Maine primary school will be closing permanently at the end of the school year.

According to WABI, RSU 34's school board recently voted unanimously to approve the permanent closure of the Viola Rand School in Bradley.  On Monday night, the town's residents voted to in favor of the closure.  In the end, 146 voted for the closure and six people voted against the closure.'

According to the article, the Viola Rand School serves students in grades K through 3.

It is expected that the closure will save the town about $320,000 annually.

In recent years, the area's schools have seen a significant drop in enrollment numbers.