By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
The Eastern Aroostook RSU Board of Education held a regular meeting on April 25 at the superintendent’s office.
During the meeting board members were informed by Lois Brewer that the curriculum committee had met previously to develop a proposal for a Culinary Arts program to be established at the Caribou Technology Center. Ralph Conroy, director at the Tech Center reviewed a proposed curriculum, possible facility renovations and equipment that would be needed should the board approve the program.
“We are very excited about the possibility of establishing a culinary arts program,” said RSU 39 Superintendent Frank McElwain. “Our enrollment is changing, we have noticed a lack of student interest in several of our current programs and feel that this would be a strong replacement. This program would provide students with a background in a field where there is high employment and would be a compliment to the current curriculum,” he added. The RSU 39 board members approved the proposal.
McElwain said that the culinary arts program would not be in place for the next school year, as renovations to the building and other background work would take some time to complete, including becoming state certified, but feels that the program could be in place for the 2013-14 school year.
Board members considered and approved the 2012-13 school calendar by a weighted vote of 976 to 24.
In other business the board approved the elimination of a grade 6 teaching position at the Limestone Community School. McElwain said that as he had received a resignation from a teacher in that grade level, discontinuing the position altogether was cost effective and felt that the four remaining teachers who instruct students in grades 5 through 8 would not be burdened by this act.
The six board members present during the April 25 meeting reviewed and accepted the proposed $18,718,271 RSU 39 2012-13 school budget. A public hearing on the budget will be held at the next regular meeting of the RSU on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. in the superintendent’s building. At this time citizens from Caribou, Limestone and Stockholm may address the RSU board with any concerns or questions they may have regarding the proposed budget.
On Wednesday May 30, a district budget meeting will be held at the Caribou Middle School beginning at 7 p.m. At this time registered voters from the three communities will vote (after explanations) on each warrant of the budget. If the whole document is approved, then the budget will appear as a referendum question for voters’ approval on June 12.
McElwain informed his board members of the following staffing changes. New hires: Scott Hunter, volunteer assistant baseball coach at the Caribou Middle School; resignations: Trisha Gervais, Middle School Science, LCS; and Bob Hancock, girls varsity basketball, LCS. Transfers: Karen Hewitt, reading recovery, Hilltop to special education at CHS; Ralph Fantasia, grade-8 CMS to social studies, LCS; Tina Duplisse, grade-1 Hilltop to grade-2, Hilltop; Jenny Theriault, grade-1, LCS to grade-4 Teague Park; Rachel McGlinn, grade-2 LCS to grade-3 Teague Park and Stacey Michaud, elementary French, Teague/CMS to grade-3 Teague Park.
McElwain also informed the board that the proposed Caribou High School Athletic Boosters Building Project (estimated at $50,000 with no dollar amount tied to the RSU) requires citizen approval and would be included as a referendum question on June 12.
