The White Mountains Regional School District may revisit plans

LANCASTER — The White Mountains Regional School District may revisit plans for middle school consolidation. During budget discussions on Dec. 7, the school board expressed renewed interest in merging grades 7 and 8. After two consecutive defeats in budget votes, board members indicated that the only way to further reduce taxpayer spending is through consolidation. Currently, both Lancaster and Whitefield Elementary Schools serve PreK-8 grades. School board member Kristen Van Bergen Buteau from Lancaster said, “I think that without significant steps, like thinking about consolidation, it will be hard to push the budget lower than it already is.” Plans to consolidate Grades 7 and 8 at Lancaster Elementary, initially proposed for this fall, have been postponed until at least the 2026-27 school year due to a lack of community support.