Franklin County’s students and teachers alike are gearing up for the start of school. Some districts have big adjustments ahead while others are anticipating a relaxed year.
Administrators in the Mt. Blue Regional School District, headquartered in Farmington, are busy trying to fill all of the openings, while MSAD 58, based in Phillips, has all of its staff positions filled and is ready to go.
“We’ve hired some great new staff members,” MSAD 58 Superintendent Susan Pratt said. In addition to the full complement of staff, “We just hired a part-time employee who will be working on a satellite program with Foster Tech Center. We’re excited about that partnership and expect the classes to be full,” she said.
Along with new partnerships, MSAD 58 will be embracing new technology with laptops for students in grades 6-12. The district will continue its work moving towards a standards-based learning model. “We are really changing the way we’re teaching,” Pratt said. “It’s been a big learning curve for everyone, but it’s exciting work.”
Kindergarten through ninth-grade students start school on Wednesday, Aug. 31. All students head back to school on Sept. 1.
Mt. Blue Middle School, the high school and Foster Career and Technology Education Center are looking at big changes this year, not only with new partnerships, but with a restructuring of its administration staff as well. Glenn Kapiloff, former director of the Foster Tech Center, will be the new director of Adult Education, while Melissa Williams takes the lead as internal director of Foster Tech. Jason Bellerose has accepted the position of principal at Mt. Blue Middle School and Joel Smith will be the new assistant principal at Mt. Blue High School. Andrew Hutchins will be the new director of food services for RSU 9.
“We have a lot to look forward to,” noted Thomas Ward, superintendent of RSD 9. “We are very confident that the restructuring will help the whole campus be more efficient. We will have administrative support on campus and are hoping all three campuses- Foster Tech, Mt. Blue High School and Adult Ed, will work to become one.” Ward also said that the recommendation for the new athletic director will be Chad Brackett, whose grandfather, Robert Stevens, was Mt. Blue’s first athletic director.
Kindergarten through ninth-grade students start school on Wednesday, Aug. 31. All students head back to school on Sept. 1.
RSU 73 will also be adjusting to a change with the restructuring of school buildings for the elementary grades. The kindergarten through second-grade students will be at the Spruce Mountain Primary School in Livermore and the students in grades three though five will attend school at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay.
“It will be different and take some adjustment, but ultimately will be better for students and teachers,” RSU 73 Superintendent Kenneth Healy said. School starts on Wednesday for K-12, pre-k starts on Thursday, Sept. 1.
William Richards, interim superintendent for Regional School Unit 78 in Rangeley, said there are not many changes are expected for the year aside from the hiring of a new math teacher.
“We’re looking forward to seeing all the students,” Rangeley’s Principal Charles Brown added. An open house will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31 and school starts in Rangeley on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Wishing all the students and staff in all the districts a safe, fun-filled, adventurous new school year!
May this school year be blessed with a spirit of peace, co-operation, kindness, meekness, gentleness, brotherly love and joy and may the spirit of sadness, depression, bullying, meanness, unkindness and division be
cast out of the halls and class rooms so that the kids can feel safe and the class room can be a place of
learning.
Have a great school year teachers and kids,
Carol