The Yarmouth School Committee is urging town residents to attend an important community forum on school consolidation – an issue the school board says could impact education in Yarmouth for generations.

The forum will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center at Yarmouth High School. The purpose of the forum is get community input on school consolidation and determine what would be best for Yarmouth, both now and in the long term. A “straw poll” will be taken to gauge the sentiments of the community and help the school board make a decision.

The new school consolidation law will be explained and school officials will present their latest analysis of the following options available to Yarmouth: remaining as a single school department; consolidating with Falmouth and Maine School Administrative District 51 (which serves Cumberland and North Yarmouth); or consolidating with Freeport and Pownal.

Those potential consolidation partners want Yarmouth to decide which option it will pursue no later than Nov. 1, according to the school board.