Good Afternoon, At approximately 2:15 pm, a note was discovered at the Mt. View complex, with threatening language. Out of an abundance of caution, we are evacuating the building to ensure student and staff safety. If you are picking your child up as part of your daily routine, you will be directed to where to go upon arrival. Students who ride the bus will be sent home on their regular route as soon as possible and as close to the normal drop-off time as possible. Additionally, information will be sent out following the investigation into this incident. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we work to first ensure everyone’s safety and then determine the facts of this incident.
15 days ago, Superintendent Secretary
I wish to share with you, the 11 communities of RSU 3, that the school board voted at last evening’s meeting, to close both Walker Elementary, Liberty, and Morse Memorial, Brooks, effective for the school year 2025-2026. Weighing the needs of educational programs and services versus building maintenance costs in light of small school age populations (91 at Morse and 45 at Walker), the board studied the situation in depth and came to this conclusion which is to place budgetary priorities towards the support of educational programs over the support of the operational costs of these two aging buildings. We value those members of the school community who presented compelling reasons to delay the closing for a year. The majority of students will be housed at Mt View Elementary where there is space for the 6 needed additional classes of students while still maintaining class sizes of under 20 students and still maintaining a small school atmosphere with less than 350 students. (Some students may attend Monroe Elementary.) I welcome the support from the community and the collaborative work yet to come as we move forward with the school closure as well as the upcoming budgetary decisions. Thank you, Eleanor Hess, RSU 3 Board Chair
16 days ago, Superintendent Secretary
It is with great respect that I wish to announce that the RSU 3 School Board voted at their regular February meeting to extend the contract for another year to our interim Superintendent, Paul Penna. Superintendent Penna has developed a slate of initiatives that he will continue to steer with our district leadership. With our district’s proud heritage of a welcoming atmosphere, he is pleased to continue to provide his service to us in our 11 towns. On behalf of the RSU #3 Board, Eleanor Hess, Chair
16 days ago, Superintendent Secretary
This is an important message from RSU #3. This is a reminder that there will be an Open House tonight at Mount View Elementary School from 4:30 - 6:00 pm for all families that may be impacted by the potential RSU #3 school consolidation. We hope to see you there.
29 days ago, Superintendent Secretary
Good Afternoon, As most of you are aware, the school board is currently exploring the impacts of possible school consolidation in RSU 3. Though no decision has been made yet, the school board has been soliciting feedback from community members regarding their questions and concerns. One consistent piece of information that has come up repeatedly is that it is difficult for families to think about the potential pros and cons of their children possibly attending Mt. View Elementary School because they are not familiar with the school (or larger complex that houses grades K-12). In response to this concern, the school board would like to invite families to visit Mt. View Elementary School during an open house on Wednesday February 28. The school will be open for families to tour between 4:30 and 6:00. Again, no decision has been made as to whether or not school consolidation is the most appropriate option for the district; however, families are welcome to at least visit the school to increase their familiarity with the Mt. View complex, as the school board and impacted communities continue to research and determine the best option for supporting all RSU 3 students. We hope you are able to take advantage of this February 28 opportunity. Please reach out to your child’s school principal if you have any questions.
about 1 month ago, Superintendent Secretary
Good Morning. Due to the current weather conditions, all RSU 3 schools will dismiss early today, Friday, January 26, beginning at 1:00 pm from the Mt. View Complex. In monitoring the storm, we believe that this time will be the safest time to be on the roads today, but please be mindful that buses will be traveling slowly to ensure student safety. Thank you.
2 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
RSU 3 will have a two-hour delay today, Thursday January 25th, due to icy roads and unsafe travel conditions. Be Safe
2 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Good Morning, Due to the impending storm, RSU 3 will dismiss early today, Tuesday, January 16, beginning at 12:00 pm from the Mt. View Complex. All after-school activities are canceled Thank you and travel safely.
2 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Public Notice Due to the storm day on the original scheduled meeting for yesterday Wednesday, January 10, we are rescheduling this meeting for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at Walker Elementary School in Liberty from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. At this meeting, RSU 3 Superintendent Paul Penna and Assistant Superintendent Lisa Roux will host brief conversation opportunities to brainstorm some of the potential pros and cons of school consolidation in RSU 3. Currently, we are focusing on Morse School in Brooks and Walker School in Liberty. This is an initial conversation to generate feedback to help the school board make an informed decision about school consolidation in RSU 3. The school board values this opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in the best interest of all students in our school community. Thank you
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Message from RSU 3 Superintendent. It has been decided that RSU 3 schools are canceled for Wednesday, January 10, 2024, and Central Office is closed. The Walker School community meeting scheduled for this evening will be rescheduled.
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Important message from RSU 3 Superintendent of Schools - Given the pending weather conditions, there will be a 2-hour delay to the start of school on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. This will allow me the opportunity to re-assess the conditions in the morning and make a final decision for the school day.
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Public Notice - On Tuesday, January 9, 2024, and Wednesday, January 10, 2024, RSU 3 Superintendent Paul Penna and Assistant Superintendent Lisa Roux will host brief conversation opportunities to brainstorm some of the potential pros and cons of school consolidation in RSU 3. Currently, we are focusing on Morse School in Brooks and Walker School in Liberty. This is an initial conversation to generate feedback to help the school board make an informed decision about school consolidation in RSU 3. The school board values this opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in the best interest of all students in our school community. Thank you The meetings will be as follows: January 9 at Morse School from 5:30 - 6:30 January 10 at Walker School from 5:30 - 6:30
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Good afternoon: School is Canceled for Friday, December 22, 2023, due to connectivity issues with the internet and telephone throughout the district. Have a happy and safe holiday, and I'm certain that everyone is looking forward to the return of our regular schedule in January 2024. As an FYI, I will work with the school board to apply for an attendance waiver for the school days that we missed due to the storm emergency. Happy Holidays
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
Good evening, School is canceled for Thursday, Dec 21, 2023 due to continued power outages in our school communities that also impact our connectivity with internet servers. The power and internet outages impact our phone system and our ability to conduct daily business safely.
3 months ago, Superintendent Secretary
RSU 3 will be closed today due to poor driving conditions. Central Office will open at 10am, pending weather and driving conditions. Be safe.
4 months ago, Paul Penna
I am writing to inform you that earlier today a "shelter in place" sometimes known as a "soft lockdown" at the Mount View Complex. A loud bang was heard in the Middle School and Principal Brown immedately called for a "Shelter in Place" to investigate. The School Resource Officer along with RSU#3 Administration and Facilities determined the source was maintenance being done on the roof. Please Reach out to your students administrator with any questions or concerns.
4 months ago, Paul Penna
I'm informing you that the Mt View Complex has scheduled a practice fire drill at 10:15
5 months ago, Paul Penna
Good evening, This message is intended to provide the school community reassurance that the Crisis Team recognizes that there are likely impacts to some members of our school community from the tragic events of last evening. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. RSU 3 is fortunate to have Deputy Tozier as our school resource officer who has provided factual information about the situation throughout the day. If the situation changes at any time the Crisis Team will certainly respond appropriately. Based on information we have currently through Waldo County EMA and Waldo County there is no credible threat to the school communities of RSU 3. However, we will always respect decisions made by families to act in the best interest of their children. We understand that the school community is on high alert and that can be accompanied by feelings of uncertainty. We respect and understand this as a normal reaction to a crisis. The Crisis Team was established to provide a level of confidence and safety to the school community during unsettling events. It is our goal to provide the school community a response that accounts for the facts and credibility of the situation presented. Our counseling professionals on the Crisis Team have developed the following list of resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. These are additional resources in addition to the care and safety you provide to your children. This is a link to a guide for teens after a mass shooting: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/for_teens_coping_after_mass_violence.pdf This is the spanish version of the teen guide: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/for-teens-coping-after-mass-violence-sp.pdf The following two are talking points for how to discus mass violence with children: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//talking_to_children_about_mass_violence.pdf https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/tip-sheet/talking_to_children_about_the_shooting.pdf (this one is slightly out of date as it references Twitter as a social media outlet but I like the overall message) This is the Spanish version of the parent's guide: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//parents_guidelines_for_helping_youth_after_the_recent_shooting_sp.pdf An article for professionals and parents tilted "Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources//restoring_safety_aftermath_of_mass_shooting_for_parents.pdf This link is a guide for teachers supporting students after a mass shooting: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/teachers_guidelines_talk_about_mass_violence.pdf Please contact your school counselor professional for additional information or support.
5 months ago, Paul Penna
Good evening, I want to reassure the school community that I am monitoring the live situation as it unfolds in Lewiston. This is a tragic situation that has far reaching impacts on many Maine families. The safety of our school community will be the priority as we monitor and learn more about the situation as it unfolds throughout the evening. I will provide an update as required by this unfolding situation.
5 months ago, Paul Penna
Please click on the link below for a message from Interim Superintendent Penna. https://5il.co/26vqf
6 months ago, Superintendent Secretary