<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1i4z6k_1H2D755R00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1i4z6k_1H2D755R00" width="800" height="450" >FRYEBURG (WGME) -- A western Maine school district could close one of its elementary schools.The district says the move would save money, but dozens of parents packed a public hearing Thursday to voice their concerns about the possible closure.The Brownfield-Denmark Elementary School in Denmark could be closing.District leaders say the elementary school doesn't have many students.The school only has five classrooms and a maximum capacity of 100 students.Compared to other schools in District 72, New Suncook in Lovell holds 260 students and Molly Ockett in Fryeburg has a capacity of 580 students.Closing the building would save the district roughly a million dollars, but many parents worry moving kids to a different school would disrupt their academic and social lives."We can't just keep looking at money and forget the kids. In my interest and my daughter's interest, this is obviously not the best option," one MSAD 72 parent said. The district is currently weighing three options:<blockquote>Keep the elementary school open.Close the elementary school and reorganize New Suncook for grades K-2, and Molly Ockett for grades 3-8. Close the elementary school and have New Suncook serve grades K-5, while Molly Ockett serves grades 3-8 based on which school is closest to a student's home.</blockquote>Under those closure plans, kids as young as kindergarten could spend more than an hour on a bus each way."Do we know if the longest person on the current route is a K2 student or a senior because that's different. A senior can handle an hour bus ride, a K2 student not so much," one MSAD 72 parent said. Some parents say they would rather pay more in taxes than see their third and fourth graders moved to another building."Why are we just going to shut it down based on something we don't know? It seems very cut throat to make a decision based on something we don't know," another MSAD 72 parent said.No decisions were made Thursday. The school board is expected to make a final vote on the closure in December.</div></body>

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FRYEBURG (WGME) -- A western Maine school district could close one of its elementary schools. The district says the move would save money, but dozens of parents packed a public hearing Thursday to voice their concerns about the possible closure. The Brownfield-Denmark Elementary School in Denmark could be closing. District...

MSAD 72 considers closing Brownfield-Denmark Elementary School

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FRYEBURG (WGME) -- A western Maine school district could close one of its elementary schools. The district says the move would save money, but dozens of pa

MSAD 72 considers closing Brownfield-Denmark Elementary School

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