TREMONT — The first forum on the possible consolidation of the K-8 schools here and in neighboring Southwest Harbor attracted about 30 people.

The Jan. 8 session, held by school officials to gather input from Tremont residents, focused on four possible scenarios involving the schools. Although no decisions were made about how to proceed, school principal Dianne Waters noted at the end of the forum that two of the scenarios – keeping the schools the way they are and closing the Tremont school – received little discussion.

“I’m not hearing ‘Don’t do anything’ and I’m not hearing ‘Close this school,’” Ms. Waters said.

Union 98 superintendent Rob Liebow said he was heartened that the forum participants centered on the educational advantages of consolidation and not which scenario would save the town the most money.

“That’s a really good sign of a healthy community,” he said.

The two scenarios that did receive the most discussion involve Tremont students in the upper grades attending the Pemetic school.

One scenario has students in kindergarten through fourth grade from both schools attending the Tremont school. Students from the fifth through eighth grades would attend school at Pemetic, in effect, making the institution a middle school.

There would be minimal cost savings with this model, but it does offer the most educational advantages, school officials said. Each grade level would have two classes, opening the possibility of team-teaching and allowing greater flexibility in grouping students according to their abilities, learning styles and interests. The larger class sizes increase the number of students available for extracurricular activities and special programs.

Another advantage, school officials said, is in having an additional transitional phase before students attend high school. Going directly from a K-8 school to high school can be traumatic, and transitioning first to middle school eases that, they claim.

This scenario would save about $185,000 annually, school officials estimate. However, there would be increased busing costs for both towns.

Another scenario involves keeping Tremont open for students in kindergarten through fourth grade and sending the older students to middle school at Pemetic. Pemetic would remain a K-8 school. This model gives the fifth through eighth-graders, but not the kindergarten through fourth-graders, the same advantages as the previous scenario.

There are possible cost benefits to both communities. Tremont could save as much as $475,000 annually with this scenario but that figure doesn’t take into account that Tremont would most likely have to tuition its students to Pemetic. The tuition amount has not been determined. Also, Tremont’s transportation costs would rise.

By far the greatest cost-saving would be in closing the Tremont school and sending those students to Pemetic. That would save about $875,000 annually but raises questions about what would happen to the school building. According to Mr. Liebow, the Tremont school was built on land formerly owned by the national park system. The deed states that the land reverts to Acadia National Park if it is used for anything other than a school, Mr. Liebow said.

School officials were asked if they had considered using the Tremont school as a magnet or other specialty school if it closed. Ms. Waters said that would be a possibility.

“This facility would offer an incredible opportunity for a magnet school, outdoor school, preschool or something like that,” she said.

Still, closing the school was the least popular option for those attending the forum.

“This is the center of the community,” said Wayne Patton. “If you take it out there’s going to be a hole here. Once it’s gone, it won’t ever come back.”

No one at the forum spoke in favor of the final scenario, keeping both schools operating as they are now. Creation of a middle school had considerable support.

“I’m in favor 100 percent with the middle school system,” said one mother. She added that she was also in favor of having kindergarten through fourth grade from both towns attend Tremont. Class sizes as they are now are too small, she said. “It’s a social thing.”

Comments from the forum will be considered along with those made at a forum for Southwest Harbor residents that was scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 14) at the Pemetic school. If residents in both towns look favorably upon some scenario for consolidation, school officials are to hold a forum for residents of both towns. That meeting is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Tremont Consolidated School.

From the joint forum, the issue goes back for consideration by the school committees in both towns, Mr. Liebow said.