Parked in the parking lot of Wiscasset High School July 24 was a school bus lettered, “Wiscasset School Department,” a visible sign Wiscasset was once again a stand-alone school system.
Interim Superintendent Wayne Dorr said as each bus gets ready for the new school year, the lettering is being changed from “Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12” to “Wiscasset School Department.”
“That feels pretty good,” said Dorr.
At his last meeting, Dorr reported Wiscasset’s new stand-alone school system was up and running and beginning to shape up.
“We have been running 100 miles per hour for the last three weeks,” Dorr said.
School resource officer
Also new to Wiscasset schools this year will be the presence of a school resource officer. Chief Troy Cline introduced his selection for the position, Perry Hatch, to the board.
Cline told the board Hatch has just completed basic school resource officer training and will be attending an advanced training session before the school year begins.
Cline also presented the board with a memorandum of understanding that outlines the terms and conditions of the position for the board to consider.
The memo suggests that Hatch be in full police uniform while in the schools, a condition the board would like to see relaxed.
Beverage said it is important for students to get to know Hatch as a person as well as a cop and asked for some middle ground around the full uniform requirement.
Having a uniformed school resource officer in the schools is a deterrent, Cline said.
“I want him to be completely identifiable as an officer,” Cline said. But Cline said he was open to talk about the possibility of Hatch wearing khakis and a polo shirt on Fridays or other days he may be involved in student activities.
The board gave Beverage the authority to work with Cline to make adjustments and then sign the memorandum.
New hires
The board approved the hiring of Jessica Yates at the department’s new special services director. Yates attended Bowdoin College, University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine, and has earned a certificate of advanced study. She has agreed to a $70,000 salary.
“She has more energy than a nuke plant,” Dorr said.
Other new hires include: Julie Mitchell, Wiscasset Primary School first-grade teacher; Katie Loubier, Wiscasset Middle School English language arts Title 1 teacher; Beth Jarvis, Wiscasset Primary School educational technician III; and Daniela Marino, Wiscasset Middle School physical education teacher and girls soccer coach.
With the talk of consolidation looming for next year, the board has decided to hire an interim principal for the Wiscasset Middle School for the upcoming year and Dorr said he hopes to fill the interim slot by the next board meeting.
Dorr said the school department is still searching for a part-time athletic director for the Wiscasset Middle School.
Chairman’s report
Wiscasset School Board Chairman Steve Smith said the board is in agreement that one school will need to close next school year. Smith said the board has toured all three schools and a report will be available to review in the very near future.
“I myself am leaning toward closing the middle school,” Smith said. “There is no perfect solution.”
Smith said the board plans to hold a public hearing to discuss the options and seek public input on the consolidation process.
Superintendent’s report
At his last meeting as interim superintendent, Dorr received the board’s support to hire a class size reduction teacher to help students struggling in literacy and math. The position will be funded partially by a No Child Left Behind grant aimed at improving literacy.
“From your little ones, thank you for your support,” Dorr told the board.
Dorr told the board he and Maintenance Director John Merry have begun the long overdue process of removing outdated and worthless items from storage spaces throughout the Wiscasset schools.
“It’s taking up space we need,” Dorr said.
Dorr reported so far nine pallets of “worthless” items have been collected from the schools and need to be disposed of. The board authorized Dorr to dispose of outdated equipment which has accumulated over several years, including outdated electronics like film strip projectors, which have not been used in 20 years; paper, keyboards, and old athletic wear.
Holding up an old keyboard, Dorr said, “This is a Compaq keyboard that was manufactured in 1949 and was used in the sixth grade by (board member) Eugene Stover.”
Dorr said he has found a company that will haul the worthless items away at no cost to the school department. If the school department had to dispose of the items, the cost would be considerable, Dorr said.
Dorr suggested the Wiscasset High School Boosters may want to sell the old uniforms as a fundraiser.
New interim Superintendent Lyford Beverage said the problem of holding onto items no longer used is common in every school department because school staffs are uncomfortable getting rid of items purchased with taxpayer money.
“It’s a serious problem,” Beverage said. “It inhibits our ability to take care of the good stuff.”
Meeting schedule
During the public comment section of the meeting, resident Judy Flanagan told the board their meeting schedule was hard to follow and said the board should be doing a better job of informing the public of their meeting schedule. Smith said the meetings will now be posted on the new website http://www.wiscassetschools.org.
The board currently meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the high school library. The board’s finance committee will meet the first Tuesday of each month at 8 a.m. in the superintendent’s office at the Wiscasset Middle School.
