MEXICO — About 150 high school students have enrolled in one of the 10 vocational programs at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology and several more spots are available.
Director Brenda Gammon said the certified nursing assistant program is full and has a waiting list, but slots are available is all others, particularly for fire science, building trades and computer technology.
“It will take the first couple of weeks for everyone to settle in,” she said.
Among the goals set for the 2014-15 school year is a study and review of the programs available. The goal is to determine which programs should remain, which should be eliminated, and what new programs should be offered.
She said new programs, if any, will be at least partially identified through area business needs and student wishes.
The vocational school will also be required to create new schedules for offering its programs because sending district RSU 10 is changing to a trimester system from a quarterly system.
“We’re all just going to be patient and see how that works out,” Gammon said.
The Region 9 teaching staff will maintain its tradition of cooking lunch for students during their first days of school.
B-day students return Wednesday, Aug. 27, and A-day students return to class Thursday, Aug. 28. A barbecue lunch will be prepared both days.
Teachers will have workshop Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 25 and Aug. 26. The vocational school employs 22 full- and part-time people.
Among the staffing changes this year is a new automotive technology instructor, Brian Mills, and recently hired Adult and Community Education part-time academic teacher Sue Brennan.
Gammon said one of the major projects staff must undertake this year is preparation for the periodic Maine Department of Education school review. She said the team will visit the school near the end of the 14-month process next fall.
Sending high schools are Telstar Regional in Bethel, Mountain Valley in Rumford, and Dirigo in Dixfield.
The regular Region 9 Cooperative Board meetings will be at 6 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month.
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- Randy Gallant, custodian at Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico, washes windows in preparation for teachers and students returning to class this week.
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