GSA announces major donor gift and staff layoffs on same day
School announces $325k in layoffs but has not released details of affected positions
By Tricia Thoma
BLUE HILL—George Stevens Academy announced today that it plans to cut about $325,000 worth of jobs while simultaneously announcing in a separate press release that it has received a new major gift of $300,000 to expand its career and technical education program.
“George Stevens Academy’s Board of Trustees and Head of School today announced a strategic reduction in force totaling approximately $325,000 in staffing costs, necessitated by declining enrollment,” the school stated in a Dec. 15 press release. “This announcement is made with significant advance notice to prioritize staff well-being and responsible planning.”
A private town academy that serves as the de facto high school for Blue Hill and surrounding towns, GSA has been struggling with declining enrollment and budget shortfalls in recent years. The school did not specify in the press release which staff positions would be cut, or when the cuts would be made. The school’s website lists a total of 52 staff members, including teachers, administrators, food service workers, maintenance and support staff for its 200 students.
“The reduction in force has been carefully structured to minimize impact on students and educational quality—a key distinction from previous workforce changes. Core academic programs, student support services, and the individualized attention that defines a GSA education will be preserved,” the press release stated.
The news comes on the same day the school announced a $300,000 anonymous donation earmarked for career and technical education. That was on top of a separate four-year pledge, also from an anonymous donor, totaling $200,000 that was announced in November.
The month prior to that, in October, GSA closed on a deal to sell a former dormitory on 17 acres in downtown Blue Hill–along with an additional 38 acres owned by the school–to the town of Blue Hill for $1.8 million.
GSA’s Hinckley Dorm was part of a $1.8 million sale in October to the town of Blue Hill. File photo.
GSA head Dan Welch was unavailable to answer questions on the announcement of the impending layoffs.
“We are making this announcement now, with substantial advance notice, because our staff deserve better than last-minute decisions,” Welch stated in the press release. “This transparency allows affected employees time to plan and to work with us on a thoughtful transition. It also reflects our commitment to the entire GSA community about the realities we face and the steps we’re taking to address them.”
His comments were an apparent reference to what many current and former staff lamented as chaotic and unexpected firings in 2023.
Kate Stookey, a member of the school’s board of trustees, said in the press release that the staff reduction is tied directly to current enrollment numbers.
“With guaranteed enrollment—or even a modest increases [sic] of 14-18 students per year—these layoffs would be unnecessary,” Stookey stated.
In a lengthy interview with The Rising Tide shortly before the start of school in September, Welch said that increasing enrollment was key to improving the school’s overall solvency.
“We are at a point right now where enrollment has the largest impact on our revenue, without a doubt. If you look at the ways in which GSA makes money, enrollment is by far the largest bucket. We have philanthropy, and we have our annual fund, which does help fund operations. That’s essential. And then we have our endowment draw, which we draw on annually to help supplement operations. But enrollment is really, really where it’s at, from a revenue-generation standpoint,” Welch said during the interview.
Welch also talked at length about the school’s need to provide more hands-on, technical-based education, a goal that now has substantial funding totaling $500,000 with the two gifts anonymous combined.
“Across the nation and especially here in rural Maine, we face a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople. These career pathways allow our graduates to enter the workforce earning strong wages and building fulfilling careers right here in their home communities,” Welch stated in the Dec. 15 press release. “GSA’s new CTE programs will help address this workforce gap while giving students valuable options for their futures.”
“The first CTE certification class will launch in the fall of 2026 with other classes being added gradually, and facility upgrades are currently being planned,” the release also stated.
Both the November and December donations are “restricted,” and can be used only for CTE programs
“Restricted gifts cannot be redirected to address general operating expenses or budget deficits,” the school stated in its press release. “This restricted gift allows us to invest in a critical new area of programming that will benefit our students and our region, while we continue to manage our operating budget responsibly through other means.”
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
