Adams hired as Easton principal
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — SAD 1’s loss is the Easton School System’s gain as drafting instructor Cameron Adams has resigned to take over as principal of Easton Junior-Senior High School.
Adams, who has taught at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center for 15 years, is scheduled to begin his new duties in January. He replaces Georgette Ireland who resigned as principal/superintendent in September. Roger Shaw will continue to serve as interim superintendent through June 30, 2013 while Easton school board members carry on their search for a full-time replacement.
SAD 1 directors accepted Adams’ resignation at the Dec. 12 board meeting, during which time they also elected officers for 2013.
Lucy Richard and Jim Bubar were re-elected to serve as chair and vice chair, respectively. Bubar, Robert Cawley and Curtis Culberson were chosen to serve on the finance committee.
Also during the meeting, directors were notified of proposed changes to the district’s bullying policy.
“Our bullying policy was first put in place in September 2006, and revised last March, but this new policy reflects some changes in legislation,” said Ellen Schneider, assistant superintendent.
The biggest change includes the addition of cyberbullying, which is defined as “bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, including but not limited to, a transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted by the use of any electronic device including, but not limited to, a computer, telephone, cellular telephone, text messaging device or personal digital assistant.”
Also added is a piece that states that administrators, professional staff and all other employees who violate the bullying policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. In addition, volunteers, contractors and visitors who violate the policy will be barred from school property until the superintendent is satisfied that the person will comply with Maine’s bullying law and the policy.
Board members opted to table the matter and will vote on the revised policy at the January meeting.
Recognizing that the Maine School Boards Association honored board members at the fall conference who had served their districts for 12 or more years, Superintendent Gehrig Johnson took a closer look at the SAD 1 board.
“I believe we have the most experienced school board — in terms of years served — of any board in the state of Maine … 196 years of board service,” he said. “We average about 12 years of service on this board which is very rare. We have 10 members this coming year that will be serving over a decade … that’s the majority of this board.
“This is a very experienced board and that has — and will — serve us well as we move forward,” said Johnson.
Directors also received an update on Presque Isle High School’s alternative education program, which offers students educational support resulting in the opportunity to earn credits toward a high school diploma.
“Many of our students simply can’t cope with the class sizes at the high school or the number of students in the cafeteria,” said Dave Bartlett, program director, “and quite often there’s a lack of the support resources at home that allows them to succeed at school.
“When students face those kinds of challenges and they’re barely able to focus on learning, their frustration level rises, they start failing classes, and their attendance suffers. What we try to do at the alternative school is provide them with a safe, comfortable environment where we can address some of those challenges, or at least set those challenges aside during the school day and allow these kids to focus on learning and focus on getting their education,” he said. “When that happens, these kids are able to find successes. It begins one small step at a time, but those successes build upon themselves and kids start passing classes, gaining credits, and ultimately graduate.”
Bartlett shared that the dropout rate for 2010-11 was 2.94 percent which is below the state average for that year of 3.32 percent.
“That 2.94 percent was trending down from previous years, so it’s moving in a positive direction,” he said, noting that the district has a dropout prevention committee that works to identify students in need of intervention.
“Attendance is also good. I looked at the attendance of the fourth quarter last year compared to the first quarter this year, and last year students missed an average of 11.8 days, or nearly 25 percent of the days for that ranking period,” said Bartlett. “For the first quarter this year, the same students missed 3.1 days on average, or about 7 percent. I would like to think that the role we play in alternative education has something to do with that improvement.”
There are presently 13 students enrolled in the program.
The next SAD 1 board meeting will be Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 at 5 p.m. in the board conference room at Presque Isle High School.
