DAYTON — The Dayton School Board is considering allowing its middle school students the option to attend Thornton Academy Middle School in Saco.
Dayton School Board Chairman Denis Elie said the board is in negotiations with Thornton Academy, and will host an informational meeting Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Dayton Consolidated School gym regarding the proposal.
Dayton is in the process of building an educational structure as it prepares to leave Regional School Unit 23 ”“ currently comprised of Dayton, Saco and Old Orchard Beach ”“ at the end of June.
Saco Middle School has had a long-standing arrangement with Dayton as its primary middle school. Dayton high school students attend Thornton Academy in Saco and attend Dayton Consolidated School for grades kindergarten through five.
Elie said there are about 80 students from Dayton currently attending Saco Middle School, and a handful of students from Dayton who attend Loranger Middle School in Old Orchard Beach.
Through the withdrawal agreement, students from Dayton already have the option to attend Loranger Middle School for the next 10 years.
Elie said the three different middle schools provide different learning environments, and the school board wants to provide each student the best option for their needs.
Under the suggested agreement with Thornton Academy Middle School, initially there would be a cap on the number of students who could attend, and an application process would be needed should the interest be greater than the capacity.
Thornton Headmaster Rene Menard said officials will have to gauge the level of interest before they determine how many Dayton middle school students will attend Thornton, should the proposal come to fruition.
“It’s pretty early in the process,” he said.
Menard said there are currently about 140 students at Thornton Academy Middle School, which serves students from Arundel as well as private tuition students from other communities.
Menard said Thornton’s middle school is in its eighth year of a 10-year contract with Arundel. Once the contract expires, Arundel students will also have school choice, he said. Arundel is part of RSU 21, which includes the Middle School of the Kennebunks.
Menard said there are many great students at Thornton, and he thinks Dayton students would be a good addition to the middle school.
“Thornton has a very long history of serving the residents of Dayton,” said Menard, noting that many generations of Dayton residents have attended high school there. “It’s a natural extension of that long-term relationship.”
Prior to the RSU, Dayton was in a school union with Saco. Elie said although Dayton is considering pairing up with Saco, it is also entertaining proposals from other districts.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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