Interim superintendent lists six priorities, warns of tight budget as he departs

Tom Ambrose, the interim superintendent, delivered a farewell address to the Regional School Unit 40 board and laid out six recommendations he called essential for the district92s stability and safety.

In a report that ran through staffing, safety and facilities planning, Ambrose told the board that "safety is paramount" and urged members to fund radio repeaters so school-to-school and first-responder communications work reliably during emergencies. "You need to figure it out because you can't fix it once it's done," he said.

Ambrose also recommended hiring a dedicated human-resources professional to manage recruitment, employee wellness and discipline; commissioning an updated, third-party facilities and enrollment study that focuses on using existing buildings rather than automatically adding new capacity; assigning a senior leader to coordinate facilities projects; and continuing the district's roundtable discussions between board members and administrators.

The interim superintendent warned the board that fiscal pressures will make next year's budget difficult. He said the district92s initial budget figures will likely open between $46.5 million and $47 million and that current enrollments are roughly 200 students below projections used in a study conducted seven years earlier. "You have to have a conversation about your facilities and the layout of the district," Ambrose said, urging transparent community engagement before any decisions about consolidations or closures.

Ambrose praised the board92s recent work and community partnerships, urged continued outreach to select boards in member towns, and pledged continued support for the district after his departure. He introduced Dan Welch as the incoming superintendent and said Welch will receive hand-off briefings before assuming duties.

The board thanked Ambrose for his service. The board will reorganize at its July 2 meeting; Welch is set to take on leadership responsibilities following the transition schedule discussed in the meeting.