Search committee taking shape

DIXFIELD -- Members of the RSU 10 board met with Supt. Tom Ward Monday night to establish a six-member superintendent search committee.

On Wednesday, the committee will meet to select the members of the school district and community who will serve on the interview committee. The search committee will also set dates for public informational meetings to receive input from staff and the public on the characteristics and attributes they would like to see in a new superintendent.

The search committee will be co-chaired by RSU 10 board Chairman Jerry Wiley of Buckfield, and assistant superintendent and curriculum coordinator of RSU 10, Gloria Jenkins. Other committee members are Maida Demers-Dobson, Buckfield, who chairs the Personnel Committee; Betty Barrett, Mexico, who chairs the Finance Committee; Barbara Chow, Dixfield, chairwoman of the Policy Committee; and Canton board member, Faith Campbell.

On March 11, the board approved contracting with the Maine School Management Association (MSMA) to assist in the search to replace Tom Ward, who has accepted the same position in RSU 9 in Farmington on July 1.

Sandra MacArthur, executive director of MSMA, noted it's highly likely RSU 10 will not have a new superintendent by July 1 because a superintendent who is serving elsewhere would require 60 to 90 notice to his/her present employer.

For that reason, MacArthur said the RSU will probably require an interim superintendent. MSMA does have an available listing for people who could serve in this capacity.

MacArthur said there are 94 fulltime and 24 parttime superitendents in Maine. Presently, there are 20 opening in the state.

While a typical contract for a superintendent would be two to three years, she said the average stay in Maine is 4.3 years, compared to 18 months nationally. Bringing down the Maine rates is a number of veteran superintendents who have retired.

In other business that took place at the March 11 meeting, the board accepted the resignation of 35-year veteran elementary school teacher June Giambattista. She will be retiring at the end of the school year.

Approved was Ann Speth taking a group of high school students to Quebec for ski camp during Christmas vacation in December.

Approved was a Buckfield Junior-Senior High School senior class trip to New York City and Ocean Park, MD during April vacation.

Hired was Stephen Arsenault as a bus driver/custodian for Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico.

Appointments included Heather Bowlin as BJSHS middle school varsity softball coach; Chris Bragg as BJSHS high school junior varsity softball coach; Jack Rioux as BJSHS high school junior varsity baseball coach; Scott Underhill as MVHS junior varsity soccer coach; and Mike Caron as Hartford-Sumner Elementary School night leader custodian.

Discussed was the possibility of replacing some of the district’s laptops with iPads and refurbishing the laptops for the elementary school.