LIVERMORE FALLS — The RSU 73 board said goodbye to longtime Superintendent Robert Wall at its regular meeting Thursday night.
Board Chairwoman Denise Rodzen read a legislative sentiment in honor of Wall’s 45 years in education, including the last 11 in Jay-Livermore Falls.
She further said that Wall is a very family-oriented and kind man.
“Anything you can give to the kids, you do. And you’ve worked to the last moment,” she said to Wall.
He is leaving his position for the purpose of retirement.
Wall received his B.S. degree from the University of Southern Maine and his Ph.D from Vanderbilt University.
Lisbon High School Principal Kenneth Healey will take over the reins of the recently combined district in July. He was chosen from a field of six applicants.
Wall was presented with a gold watch with RSU 73 etched in it. He was the driving force in bringing the former RSU 36 in Livermore Falls and the former Jay School Department together in 2011.
Wall spoke about the number of staff who have retired from the district this year.
“They were very dedicated and will be missed,” he said.
Several more resignations were accepted at Thursday’s board meeting, including that of Tiffany Frost, a second-grade teacher at Livermore Elementary School, Heather Tyler, guidance counselor at Spruce Mountain High School, and Kristel Anuszewski, English teacher at SMHS.
The board is finding and hiring a new principal for LES to replace Robert Kahler, who left for a similar position in Lisbon.
In other matters, Wall reported that the student enrollment in the district’s four schools dropped by nearly 100 since the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. The schools losing the most were LES, which started with 375 students and ended the year with 342, and SMHS, which started with 491 and dropped to 452. Jay Elementary School lost 19 pupils, to 305, and Spruce Mountain Middle School dropped to 374 from 384.
He said the recently completed school year began with 1,661 students enrolled. That number decreased to 1,565 when school ended for the summer last week.
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- RSU 73 board Chairwoman Denise Rodzen reads a legislative sentiment honoring Superintendent Dr. Robert Wall on his retirement Thursday night.
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