Superintendent: more students living with grandparents; district plans two‑year software replacement

The superintendent reported to the RSU 9 School Board that the district is seeing an increase in students living in multigenerational households, a trend that places additional demands on school safety‑net services and attendance supports. Board members asked how the local rate compares with national figures and what the district can do to respond.

The superintendent said the district has observed more grandparents serving as primary caregivers and that this dynamic can complicate communication, guardianship and student attendance. In discussing causes and consequences, board members noted the Brookings national figure of about 12.7 percent and asked if the local incidence might be higher; the superintendent said local estimates could be in the mid‑teens to about 20 percent, while stressing those figures are estimates rather than precise counts.

The superintendent also warned that the district’s main business software is obsolete and must be replaced. The upgrade will be handled over a two‑year timeline and, in the superintendent’s words, will be an expensive investment—described in the meeting as "a quarter of a $1,000,000," an approximate figure (about $250,000) that the administration said it intends to phase into the budget rather than fund in a single year.

Board members asked about supports for grandparents raising children and for strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism tied to household instability. The superintendent recommended strengthening school‑to‑home partnerships with birth parents and caregivers and emphasized the district’s role in providing safety‑net follow‑up through counselors and school teams.

The board did not take a formal vote on policy changes at the meeting; the superintendent said the software replacement plan will be reflected in upcoming budget proposals and that the board will consider funding choices during its budget review process.