DIXFIELD — Regional School Unit 10 learned last week that it will soon receive an additional $339,401 in general purpose aid from the state.
Superintendent Craig King told the board at Monday’s meeting that a decision on how that money will be spent will likely be made at the Sept. 14 board meeting.
In other matters from Monday’s board meeting, approval was granted to Buckfield Junior-Senior High School Principal George Reuter and teacher Gretchen Kimball for a three-day Catalyst Retreat for the school’s seventh- and eighth-grade classes at Bear Pond Sept. 15-17.
The event, which began many years ago at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension camp in Bryant Pond, aims to provide students with a chance to better know their community and its needs, while also learning more about their classmates and teachers in a non-school event.
Some of the community projects that have evolved from the experience have included the award-winning student garden, development of the Rail Trail, placement and removal of U.S. flags on veterans’ graves, the school’s greenhouse and nature trail.
An informational meeting for parents is scheduled for Sept. 10 during the school’s open house.
Food costs of $25 each will be paid by students, but the rental fee for the camps will be paid through the middle school student council account.
Along with getting to know each other better, students will participate in hiking, biking, canoeing, boating and boat safety, a midnight adventure, meal preparation and other activities.
An 8-1 ratio of students to chaperones is planned. Chaperones will include teachers, educational technicians and parents.
The board held an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss contract negotiations for the educational technicians, secretaries, bus drivers/custodians, and nutrition workers’ bargaining units. The contracts for all bargaining units expired June 30.
“We’re trying to make the best contracts to retain people that we can afford,” board Chairman Bruce Ross said before the session.
No results were announced afterward.
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