A simultaneous meeting of seven school boards on Thursday could offer some clarity for six towns whose school systems are merging into one regional district.

The boards will meet to discuss changing course on the school-district merger between the Fayette, Winthrop and Maranacook-area school systems.

Maranacook schools serve students from Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne.

The six towns' schools merger has been marked by uncertainty since July 10, when the committee planning the districts' consolidation chose -- by a one-vote margin -- to adopt an alternative administrative structure for their emerging school district.

All but one of the seven boards will meet at Maranacook Community High School student center in Readfield on Thursday evening.

The School Union 42 board will receive a briefing on the choice between an alternative district structure and regional school unit at its 6 p.m. meeting.

At 7 p.m., the Fayette, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne school boards will split apart to vote whether to file new notices with the state. At 7:30 p.m., the Community School District 10 board, which oversees Maranacook's middle and high schools, will take a vote.

The Winthrop Board of Education will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the library of Winthrop Grade School.