FARMINGTON — A new interim administration model has been implemented at Mt. Blue Campus and is expected to be more efficient and to better meet the needs of students.
Regional School Unit 9 directors approved the proposal Aug. 2 by a weighted vote of 488-242.
Approving the vote were Directors Richard Hargreaves of New Vineyard, Scott Erb of Farmington, Nancy Crosby of Weld, Angela LeClair of Wilton, Chairwoman Jennifer Zweig Hebert of Starks, Jennifer Pooler of New Sharon, Keith Swett of Wilton, Helen Wilkey of Vienna and Dr. Robert Patterson of Industry. Opposing the measure were Directors Iris Silverstein and Ryan Morgan, both of Farmington and Craig Stickney of Chesterville, according to a recording of the meeting.
Concerns cited included whether it was too soon for restructuring and adding positions following the passing of a $32.7 million budget in a 1,325 to 1,288 vote on July 28. Another concern was how to make sure the needs of students are being met.
Directors requested the new structure come in at no more than the $470,910 budgeted for administration at Mt. Blue Campus and adult education. A vote to push restructuring to next year’s budget failed.
The board will get an update on the interim structure during the school year.
According to a written proposal, the model will help Mt. Blue operate as one campus. Mt. Blue High School and Foster Career and Technical Education Center, which are intertwined in the building, are on the Mt. Blue Campus. Adult education is also housed on the campus.
The model also is designed to better use the strengths of existing personnel to cover the loss of administrative support from budget reductions, according to Bruce Mochamer, high school principal and campus coordinator.
“In the long run, we believe it will help administration to better meet the needs of all students,” Mochamer wrote in a proposal.
The new administration format:
• Eliminates a director of guidance position;
• Eliminates an assistant athletic director position;
• Eliminates an assistant principal/athletic director position;
• Creates a full-time assistant principal position; and
• Creates a full-time athletic director position.
A second assistant principal position is already in place, previously held by Sam Dunbar, who resigned. The adult education director position was also vacant because of Ray Therrien’s retirement in June.
A third guidance counselor was hired following Director of Guidance Ben Milster’s retirement in June. A guidance department head will be appointed, Superintendent Tom Ward said.
The interim model also:
• Transfers Glenn Kapiloff, formerly the director of the Foster Career and Technical Education Center, to the position of director of adult education/Foster center grants manager and mentor at the same salary. He will be paid $70,000 for his services as adult education director and $16,738 for his duties as center mentor/grants manager. Career and technical education expenses will be reimbursed by the state;
• Melissa Williams, the former Foster student services coordinator, will become interim director of the Foster center. She previously was paid $53,350, Ward said. Her new proposed salary is $77,088;
• Mochamer’s salary as principal and campus coordinator remains the same at $94,860;
• Todd Demmons, former assistant principal/athletic director, will become a full-time assistant principal at the same salary of $78,631. He will serve grades 11 and 12 and career and technical education center students from sending schools;
• A new full-time campus assistant principal position would oversee grades nine and 10 with a proposed target salary of $75,756; and
• A new full-time high school athletic director would be paid $60,000.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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