To the WCUUSD BOARD

We the undersigned residents of Calais hereby request the WCUUSD Board give necessary oversight to the Superintendent’s decision to move Calais Pre K - K to EMES. This has the benefit of honoring the Calais town vote, both in spirit and intent, per the WCUUSD Articles of Agreement. These Articles form the basis of the consolidation of the District’s formation between our 5 towns and U32, under Act 46 and certified on November 30, 2018.

Given that the WCUUSD Board on December 17, 2025 voted unanimously to honor the outcome of the Town of Calais voters held on February 10, 2026;

Given that the Town Of Calais on February 10, 2026 voted overwhelmingly (398 against – 247 in favor of closing the elementary school), to keep CES open; it must be assumed that the voters expressed intent is to keep the CES student body, Pre K – 6 intact;

Given that those same voters on Town Meeting Day, March 3, 2026, also voted for the WCUUSD budget of $43+ million, with the intent that their support of the budget would allow the Superintendent the ability to keep the student body, including Pre K – K, at CES, especially if the numbers supported that;

Given the number of registered PreK and K students (as of April 7, 2026) equals 14 (with 6 pending registrations meets the District minimum requirements for a class (8 students) but does not exceed the State maximum (20 students), we respectfully submit there are sufficient numbers to have two classes of PreK at CES;

Given that Calais currently employs a teacher who is not only certified to teach a combined PreK and K classroom, but she has garnered an award as Teacher of the Year in that role;

Given that a key school board function is to advocate on behalf of students and their schools;

Given that transporting 3, 4, and 5 year old children away from their home school is not neutral, but has negative effects on the children, their families and their communities;

We respectfully submit that moving the students of Calais Pre-K and K to EMES will continue to create a breach in the trust of the Calais community; it is detrimental to small children to be separated from their community; there are adequate student numbers to keep these children in their home school; there is a teacher eminently qualified to teach Calais children already in house; and the benefit of not busing 3 to 5-year-olds first to CES and then a second bus to EMES, supports keeping a half day session at CES.

For all of the above reasons we respectfully request that you advocate on behalf of Calais students and keep our littlest citizens close to home.