By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Members of the Eastern Aroostook RSU 39 School Board spent the majority of their March 6 meeting approving job descriptions, policies and proposed major curriculum changes.
After review of the job descriptions for the stipend positions of junior exhibition adviser, drama adviser, assistant drama adviser, drama adviser middle level, and assistant drama adviser middle level, the board unanimously accepted all of them.
Following a second reading of Maine School Management Association policies for Truancy, Student Discipline, and Suspension and Expulsion of Students, the school board again unanimously approved all policies.
Lois Brewer, assistant superintendent of curriculum, then presented the board with proposed curriculum changes for Limestone Community School and Caribou High School. Brewer outlined what is involved in the request for changes, and the board unanimously approved eliminating French for grades three, four and five at LCS; adding a math elective which will provide one math high school credit and four Northern Maine Community College credits to tech students in Caribou who are planning to attend NMCC; and adding senior English composition, which will provide one English high school credit with the possibility of six NMCC credits also for a Caribou vocational student with aspirations of going to NMCC. Brewer reported that the college credits for the English comp course have not yet been confirmed by NMCC.
The board then discussed a Maine Department of Education handout provided to them by Superintendent Frank McEwlwain which addressed some frequently asked questions about the new learner-centered, proficiency-based system of education that the state of Maine will be implementing over the next few years. The handout answered questions about what is required of students and school districts during the implementation of this system and also provided a date of Jan. 1, 2018 for all work to be completed so that students graduating after that date will be awarded the new proficiency-based diploma.
Board member Lynn McNeal commented that this change is not only taking place in the state of Maine, but is being embraced by 43 states. McNeal remarked it is indeed a fundamental change and applauded the efforts of the teachers and administration as they work toward achieving this goal.
McElwain’s superintendent report included one staffing change: the hiring of Dustin Damboise as junior varsity softball coach. The board then heard administrative updates from Caribou High School, Caribou Technology Center and the Caribou Learning Center.
The next regularly scheduled RSU 39 school board meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. at the Superintendent’s Office in Caribou.
