District overview
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
MSAD 53 runs three public schools for Burnham, Detroit and Pittsfield: Manson Park School (PreK-K), Vickery School (grades 1-4) and Warsaw Middle School (grades 5-8). High school students attend Maine Central Institute, a private academy the district contracts with. Money comes from Maine's school funding formula (EPS) plus a local share split among the three towns based on property values and students. An 11-member board (7 from Pittsfield, 2 each from Burnham and Detroit) writes the budget. Voters approve it at a district budget meeting and then in a town-by-town referendum.
Passed May 4, 2026, using $400,000 of savings and leaving 4 teaching jobs empty. Health insurance rose 10%.
Because property values rose, April estimates had Pittsfield's share up 9.41%, Burnham's up 5.16% and Detroit's up 0.97%.
Falling three-year student counts cut state aid by about $98,000. A one-time $59,000 state check covered part of it.
Julie Kimball replaced Sharon Littlefield on July 1, 2026.
No budget book or audit is posted online, so these figures come from board minutes, not the full budget.
The state agreed to plan the new school for 525 students, based on lower enrollment projections.
Total budget dollars are not posted online.
$75,815,412 state-subsidized; $6,146,583 in local add-ons.
A 103,583-square-foot school on the Warsaw/Vickery campus will replace Manson Park, Vickery and Warsaw. Voters approved it and three local add-ons on September 15, 2026. The district plans three classes per grade.
Maine Major Capital School Construction Program ($75.8M) plus local bonds for the gym, birth-to-3 rooms and upgrades ($6.1M); a $2.5M fundraising campaign
Policy JICJ, amended August 3, 2026, bans phones, smartwatches and wireless headphones for PreK-8 students all school day, following a new state law.
State allows $6 per student for phone storage, paid back later
Pittsfield
Pittsfield's town clerk opened nomination papers on September 1, 2026 for two school board (MSAD 53 director) seats, plus two Town Council seats, with papers due September 21. The election is held with the November 3, 2026 ballot. Candidate names were not found in a public source.
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
MSAD 53 (Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield) · $75,815,412
Approved bonds for a $75.8 million state-subsidized PreK-8 school. Passed 662-132 (Burnham 110-70, Detroit 79-19, Pittsfield 473-43).
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
MSAD 53 (Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield) · $3,399,730
Locally funded $3.4 million auxiliary gym. Passed 490-305; Burnham voted no 53-127.
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
MSAD 53 (Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield) · $2,423,793
Locally funded $2.4 million early childhood rooms. Passed 453-342; Burnham voted no 50-130.
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
MSAD 53 (Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield) · $323,060
Locally funded $323,060 durability upgrades. Passed 506-288; Burnham voted no 58-122.
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
MSAD 53 (Burnham, Detroit, Pittsfield)
Voters in the three towns validated the 2026-27 budget adopted at the May 21 district budget meeting; the board ratified the results on June 10. Vote counts are not in the posted minutes.
Official source · verified Oct 30, 2026
Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Collected from the public Google Drive folders linked on the district's Google Site (www.msad53.org): every board agenda and minutes posted from November 2025 to the November 2, 2026 agenda, a board workshop and Finance Committee agenda, the new school project folder (public hearing slides, referendum results, FAQ, plans and flyers), policies JICJ and IJNDB, the strategic plan, the 2026-27 calendar and the board meeting-date list.
We read every agenda, packet, recording, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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