POLAND — The Regional School Unit 16 board of directors has agreed to form a nine-person advisory committee to help address communication problems among the board, community members and school staff.
The move comes after some parents and community members have spent months repeatedly telling the board they’re angry over Superintendent Tina Meserve’s performance and, later, the board’s handling of a report on Meserve by an outside consultant.
That consultant’s report was verbal, presented to the board behind closed doors with nothing in writing to support the board’s claim that the review was positive. Two weeks ago, the board extended Meserve’s contract during the same meeting in which a crowd of parents and community members took issue with the review and said they were unhappy with Meserve.
This week, the board agreed to create an advisory committee that will meet for at least six months, starting in September. The committee will define the current communication gap among the board, staff and community and will recommend ways to fix it. The committee will also clarify roles, policy and other issues related to communication.
Board Chairwoman Mary Martin said the board believes communication is definitely a problem and one that needs to be addressed.
“I think that’s been obvious throughout our board meetings and the review, and it’s something that is an ongoing concern for us,” she said.
The committee will include three board members, three community members and three staff members. School board members are Norm Beauparlant of Poland, Lisa Dulac of Minot and Tina Love of Minot.
The three community members will be chosen by Poland, Minot and Mechanic Falls councilor and selectmen. The three staff members will be chosen by the RSU 16 Education Association.
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