It is back to school today

    It is time to head back to the classrooms for both students and teachers at SAD 29. Teachers and administrators met on Monday at Southside School to greet new employees and learn about the many programs in the district.     Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick welcomed everyone to the 2009-10 school year and introduced the following new employees; Michael Hutchinson from Patten will be the new Southside School music teacher, replacing Paul LaPointe who retired. Hutchinson taught in the Katahdin school district for the last six years. He also has assisted with several musicals in SAD 29 and is a member of McGill’s Community Band.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo
TIME FOR A NEW YEAR — SAD 29 held workshops on Monday and Tuesday for all of the district’s employees. Shown here are new employees or some that have taken new positions. From left, Hollie McPartland, director of guidance, Sue Pierce, guidance counselor, Lilly Haggerty, library assistant at Houlton High School, Molly Cowan, special ed. tech at Houlton Elementary School and Supt. Steve Fitzpatrick. Row two from left, Karen Donato, librarian and secretary at Wellington School, Dorothy Donahue, ed. tech for pre-k, Dawn Matthews, assistant principal at the high school, Veronica Holyoke, sixth grade language arts and social studies teacher at Southside, Bruce Nason, athletic director and Mike Hutchinson, music teacher and band director at Southside. Not pictured is Dawn Dugan, curriculum coordinator.
    Susan Pierce, of New Limerick will be the new guidance counselor at the high school. She has been a guidance counselor in Fort Fairfield for eight years and was in Calais four years prior to that. Pierce is taking the job vacated by Hollie McPartland. McPartland is now the director of the Guidance Department replacing Jon Turner, who retired in June.
    Molly Cowan will be a special education technician at Houlton Elementary School.
    Karen Donato will be part-time librarian and secretary at Wellington School in Monticello replacing Veronica Holyoke. Holyoke will be teaching language arts and social studies at Southside School.
    Donato, a first-grade teacher for 28 years at Houlton Elementary School, left the district in 2001. She is currently a part-time staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times.
    Dawn Matthews, former Houlton High School science teacher will be the new assistant principal at the high school, taking the place of Dave Minzy who resigned for another position outside the district.
    Bruce Nason was selected for the position of athletic director. Nason has been in the district for more than 25 years teaching physical education and coaching a variety of sports.
    Lilly Haggerty an Ed. Tech at Houlton Elementary School in the pre-kindergarten classes will switch roles with Dorothy Donahue and assist Librarian Betty Frazer at the high school library and Donahue will be at the elementary school.
    Dawn Dougan has been reassigned from the position of assistant superintendent to curriculum coordinator for the district.
    Supt. Fitzpatrick gave an overview of some of the programs in the district and gave high praise to Houlton Elementary School for the designation of highest change in achievement in the state under the Reading First Grant. This program is led by Houlton Elementary School Principal Candace Crane, Sally Cole, Janet Maurakami and Sarah Estabrook. The dedication and leadership of the entire elementary staff was also noted.
    “This year, mathematics will be targeted at all levels and new innovative ideas will be used to engage and stimulate students,” Supt. Fitzpatrick said.
    Supt. Fitzpatrick noted that the upgrades for heating, ventilation and the redesign of hallways and classrooms were nearing completion. The new entrance to the cafeteria is nearly done. Work will continue on the inside of the auditorium and should be ready for the first concert in November.
    He commended Joe Fagnant, chairman of the Houlton Community Arts Center project and high school band director to his dedication during the summer to the details of the arts project.
    Houlton Elementary School has new pavement in the front of the building and the playground has also been resurfaced.
    Lynn Brown, the coordinator for the school health program highlighted the healthy food programs that have been in place for the last eight years funded by the tobacco settlement monies. The program stresses teaching children to eat foods that are nutritious and to live a healthy life, exercising and limiting time in front of the TV or using video games. The district received a $37,000 grant that will provide healthy snacks to students in all the district’s elementary schools two or three times per week. They will use local food items when available.
    The district’s wellness team attended a four-day workshop at Sugarloaf in June. Those members were, Tricia Fogarty, Lauren Fitzpatrick, Heather Fagnant, Lynn Brown and Cheryl Levesque. This team will share information later in the year with the school staff.
    School nurse Audrey York provided information regarding the H1N1 virus. The recommendations for those with a fever, cough, fatigue or chills are to stay at home and stay away from others. It is safe to return to work after 24 hours without a fever or medication.
    Kevin Kimball, technology specialist gave updates on the new computers for students and staff and other programs related to recording grades.
    Librarian Betty Frazer gave an update on how to access the library collection from the classroom and other research information.
    Today will be the first day of school for students kindergarten through grade 12.