BURNHAM — The Town of Burnham will hold a public hearing Monday, March 9 regarding a petition to withdraw from the MSAD 53 school district, which serves the towns of Burnham, Pittsfield, and Detroit. 

MSAD 53 includes four schools, all located in Pittsfield: Manson Park School, Vickery Elementary School, Warsaw Middle School and Maine Central Institute. 

The public hearing will be held at the town’s fire station, on Troy Road, at 7:30 p.m. 

Representatives from the MSAD 53 are expected to be in attendance for the public hearing, including some board members and Maine Central Institute Head of School Christopher MacDonald. 

Burnham Selectman George Robinson spoke during the public commentary portion of the MSAD 53 school board meeting Dec. 2, 2019, regarding the petition, which received 59 signatures. 

“He explained that he thought this may have been a decision made based on emotion rather than thought,” the minutes from the meeting denote. “Mr. Robinson stated that the selectmen spoke with legal counsel who stated this is out of their hands.”

Later in the December meeting, Superintendent Sharon Littlefield suggested a letter from the school board be sent to all Burnham residents “residents encouraging them to support the school district at the public hearing,” according to the meeting minutes. 

The December 2019 minutes note the process to withdraw “is long and complex” and indicate the school board had a discussion about financial impact, should the vote pass. 

Minutes from the school board’s Jan. 6 meeting show the school board drafted a letter to send to Burnham residents, which appears at the end of this story. (Since the distribution of the Jan. 24 letter, the location of the public hearing changed from the town office to the town fire station.) 

Minutes from the school board’s Feb. 3 meeting show Littlefield distributed a handout to board members that was prepared for the March public hearing in Burnham. 

The front side of the fact sheet “explains how the state determines funding for every district in the state, based on several factors,” according to the February meeting minutes. 

“The Superintendent has explained how some things we have no control over, and how each town’s portion is determined,” the February meeting minutes stated. 

Following the public hearing, a vote on the petition will take place March 20 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Burnham town office, one day prior to the annual town meeting on Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m. in the town office. 

Following the voting period, the select board will convene for a select board meeting Monday, March 23 inside the town office at 7 p.m. 

“If the vote fails that would be the end of the process,” the December meeting minutes note. 

Letter from MSAD 53 Board of Directors and Administrative Team

Dear Community Members of Burnham: 

It has been a long standing tradition that the three communities of Burnham, Detroit, and Pittsfield have been united in providing quality educational programming tailored to the specific needs of students in our district. We build relationships early on with students and families during the formative stages of students’ educational careers. We work tirelessly to meet individual student needs and continue educating, nuturing, and forming valuable relationships with students throughout their elementary, middle, and high school years. 

For many students, school is a second home; a place where they form meaningful relationships with teachers, develop lifelong friendships, and discover who they will become in their adult lives. MSAD #53 and MCI are where students improve their academic skills, hone their artistic and educational identity, become quality musicians, and develop their athletic ability. Students are offered supporting programs like JMG (Jobs For Maine Graduates) during their middle school and high school years. Along with traditional high school courses, MCI collaborates with the Skowhegan Vocational Program (SCTC) to offer vocational opportunities. 

A petition has been submitted to the Town of Burnham for Burnham students to withdraw from MSAD #53 and Maine Central Institute. The vote will take place at the Burnham Town Hall on Friday, March 20th from 2:00-7:00 pm. A vote of “no” will keep Burnham students attending MSAD #53 schools, where these students are known, valued, and supported. We would like to encourage all residents to attend an informational meeting at the Burnham Town Hall on Monday, March 9th at 7:30 p.m.

Our administrators, faculty, and staff are committed to the students and families of all three communities. Manson Park School, Vickery School, Warsaw Middle School, and Maine Central Institute offer rigorous, comprehensive, and meaningful instruction to students from the communities that comprise MSAD #53. We would like to continue this tradition for Burnham students and maintain the small town ideals that make up our quality programming. 

If you have questions prior to these meetings, please reach out to any MSAD #53 school board member or school administrator. We look forward to your support on March 9th and 20th. 

Respectfully, 

MSAD #53 Board of Directors
and Administrative Team of MSAD #53