District overview
Hope Public Schools
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
A one-school town district weighing its future within Union 69
Hope Public Schools runs a single school, Hope Elementary (pre-K to grade 8, about 143 students), in Waldo County, Maine. A five-member elected Hope School Committee governs it. Hope shares a superintendent, Shawn Carlson, and a central office with Appleton and Lincolnville through School Union 69 in Camden. Voters approve the budget at a town meeting and a validation referendum. In August 2026 the three union committees began looking at consolidation options.
Elected committee
Chair Benjamin Odgren and Vice Chair Jude Masseur (terms to 2029), Regina Rooney (2028), and Timothy Lock and Emily Burgess (2027).
Budget pressure
The FY 2026 budget is $3.84 million, with taxpayers paying about $2.54 million. For FY 2027 the committee had to cut $166,768 after losing state subsidy.
Building
The roof and windows are being replaced through a lease-purchase capped at $30,000 a year. The HVAC, boiler and fire alarm also need work.
Consolidation talks
The August 19, 2026 joint workshop listed options including Hope and Appleton combining, or a five-town RSU.
The consolidation options come from a workshop agenda. No vote or proposal has been made, and later minutes are not posted. Enrollment has held steady at about 143 for two years.
Where the district stands
Major projects
Roof and window replacement
bids and financing before the committee (April 2026)EMC prepared the requests for proposals for the roof and windows. The committee capped payments at $30,000 a year and was set to accept bids and a lease-purchase resolution on April 13, 2026. EMC also listed HVAC, boiler, fire alarm and building envelope needs for future planning.
- EMC update on roof and window project
- Lease-purchase resolution tabled; $30,000 a year cap restated
- Bid acceptance and lease-purchase resolution on agenda
Funding
Lease-purchase payments, capped per year
Recent news
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Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Hope School Committee agendas, packets, minutes, superintendent, principal and business manager reports, and FY 2027 budget documents from September 2025 to August 2026. All are posted on the Town of Hope website. The committee roster comes from the town site and the meeting calendar from the School Union 69 site.
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