BATH — Reducing the scope of the district’s pre-kindergarten program and eliminating foreign language instruction at Bath Middle School and Woolwich Central School are among $468,000 in cuts proposed by Regional School Unit 1 Superintendent Patrick Manuel as part of a 2012-13 budget that would trigger an average property tax rate increase of 2.51 percent for the district’s five communities.

The $ 26 million budget would reduce the number of pre- kindergarten spots from 71 to 53 — although grants could save some of those spots, Manuel said Monday. That cut would save $131,000.

Ending a composites program at Bath Regional Career and Technical Center would save $75,000.

Manuel’s proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 also would eliminate foreign language instruction at Bath Middle School and Woolwich Central School, for a savings of $59,900.

Eliminating transportation for students who opt to attend schools outside their hometown and for prekindergarten students would save $45,000, and cutting expeditionary learning contracts would trim another $26,000.

The assistant superintendent position would be reduced by two-tenths to save $20,000, and the music program at Dike- Newell Elementary School reduced to save another $19,000.

Other proposed cuts include eliminating athletic positions and programs, including but not limited to cutting an athletic trainer and assistant track coach at Morse High School and the middle school soccer and cheerleading programs at Woolwich Central School, for a combined savings of $15,000.

“All of these cuts are difficult, and we know they impact the schools and impact the kids,” board chairman Timothy Harkins said.

But without any cuts, the local tax assessment would increase an average of 5.56 percent, according to a March 5 memo from Manuel.

Harkins said that results of a survey distributed to residents in Arrowsic, Bath, Phippsburg, West Bath and Woolwich — the five communities that make up the district — indicated support for a 2 percent to 3 percent property tax rate increase, and the board’s new finance committee also found that palatable.

The district-wide average tax rate increase would affect RSU 1 communities differently, based on a cost-sharing formula unique to legislation that created RSU 1, which factors in property valuation and resident pupil count.

Woolwich would bear the brunt of the proposed hike, shouldering a 9.92 percent increase, versus Phippsburg, which would seed a reduction of 1.71 percent. Rate changes for Bath, West Bath and Arrowsic would fall somewhere between those figures.

On Monday, several board members expressed concern in particular about the proposed cuts to the pre-kindergarten and foreign language program. District 5 representative Julie Rice said she also worries about the number of elementary school administrators who identified “unmet needs” such as Response to Intervention to address learning difficulties.

During a public comment portion of the meeting, Woolwich Central School physical education teacher Beth Harrington told board members that cutting the soccer program at her school would be “ a disservice to our kids,” who only have physical education class about once each week.

“I believe our kids need this exercise and activity … I think our town will be willing to help fundraise if we need to,” she said, adding that students are disappointed the program may be eliminated.

Harkins asked Harrington if she would suggest another program that could be cut instead, and Harrington declined.

She also asked if community fundraising could save a boatbuilding program at the school, also slated to be cut to save $5,000. Harkins said the board would support that.

“Our school is the center of our town and it’s the center of our community,” Harrington said. “ I need to stand here and advocate for that.”

The school board will hold a public forum on the budget April 9 at Fisher- Mitchell School in Bath, followed on May 7 with a second reading — and possible approval by the board — of the budget.

On June 5, the district budget meeting will take place at Bath Middle School, and on June 12, the five communities will hold a budget validation referendum.

bbrogan@timesrecord.com