To: MSAD 15 Staff, Families, and Community
From: Dr. Chanda P. Turner, Superintendent
Date: July 10, 2025
Re: Revised Budget
The MSAD 15 Finance Committee has voted to approve a revised 25-26 school budget. The revised budget will now go to the full School Board for consideration. In this revised budget, we’ve reduced our proposed spending increase from 5.93% down to 4.79% – this includes an additional $379,636 in cuts, bringing our total budget to $35,900,665*. I believe this revised budget reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility while maintaining our focus on student achievement. We’ve looked at every line item carefully, using multi-year spending trends and detailed financial analysis to make sure every dollar counts.
The revised budget maintains the additions made in the budget approved at the 5/22 town budget meeting. The revised budget includes all reductions taken in the budget approved at the 5/22 town budget meeting and adds additional reductions in health insurance, Paid Family Medical leave, out-of-district placement, superintendent salary, bond interest payments, and co-curricular/athletics.
Next Steps – Mark Your Calendar!
The revised budget goes to the full School Board for consideration on July 16, 2025
- When: 6:30 PM
- Where: Gray-New Gloucester High School cafeteria
- You can find the meeting agenda including links to all documents here.
- There is an opportunity for public comment at the beginning of this meeting.
The revised budget will then go to the community at the District Budget Meeting on July 24, 2025
- When: registration begins at 5:30, meeting begins at 6:00
- Where: Gray-New Gloucester High School cafeteria
- At this meeting, all attending registered voters for Gray and New Gloucester have the opportunity to vote on each article of the revised 25-26 budget.
How You Can Stay Involved
Your input matters, here’s how you can continue to be part of this process:
- Attend the July 16 School Board meeting
- Attend the Budget Town Meeting on July 24
- Email the board – Send your feedback to schoolboard@sad15.org or reach out to individual board members
- Stay informed – Visit www.msad15.org/budget for detailed budget and financial documents
- Spread the word – Share this information with your neighbors and friends
The Bottom Line
We’re committed to being good stewards of your tax dollars while supporting our educational mission. This revised budget reflects the careful balance we’re trying to strike – maintaining what’s essential for our students while responding to community concerns about spending.
Thank you for staying engaged in this important process. We have heard from many parents and community members supporting a budget that keeps staffing cuts and cuts that impact students directly to a minimum. We deeply appreciate the time and effort people are putting into sharing their thoughts. Our schools, our community, and most importantly, our students benefit when we work together.
*Please note – the original version of this memo included an incorrect proposed budget figure. It was incorrectly reported as $34,900,662. The budget proposal being voted on by the school board on 7/16/25 is $35,900,665. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.