By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Finding a permanent solution for a part-time school nurse is proving to be difficult for administrators in RSU 29.
The board learned Monday that Dayna Lincoln, who has been with the district as a part-time nurse at both Houlton Elementary and Southside schools since September, 2013, is resigning, effective Feb. 21. She is leaving to pursue a full-time nursing job at Houlton Regional Hospital.
That leaves the district of 1,349 students with just two nurses — Harmony Beaton (Houlton Elementary, Southside and Wellington) and Holly Hodgkins (Houlton High School) to provide coverage.
Superintendent Mike Hammer suggested the district pursue filling the position with a licensed practical nurse, as opposed to the traditional registered nurse.
“It has been very difficult to find a registered nurse to come in and do the job half-time at Houlton Elementary and Southside,” he said. “I have discussed an idea with the remaining nurses and principals to do an LPN.”
Hammer said the LPN could work directly under the supervision of the registered nurse at HES and HSS. He cited Bonny Eagle High School (SAD 6) in Standish as a working example of just such a practice. Hammer also stated that his office conferred with the state’s Department of Education to see if using the LPN would be acceptable.
The district is also considering the option of making the LPN position full-time.
“I believe hiring an LPN full-time would be equal to, or less than, hiring an RN at half-time,” Hammer said.
Board member Sandra Henderson asked if the LPN had to be working toward their bachelor’s degree to qualify and questioned if the person could be left alone in a school building to administer any treatments.
Hammer said, as far as he knew, the LPN was able to stay in one school building, without the presence of the RN. The plan would be to keep the LPN in either Houlton Elementary or Southside schools and not send that person to Wellington School in Monticello.
The board agreed to move forward with crafting a job description for the position, which needs to take place before the district can advertise the post. It is anticipated that the job description will be approved at next month’s meeting. A substitute may be used in a short-term capacity.
Prior to the start of the school board meeting, the group met in executive session first with counsel and then on an employee matter. After meeting for about an hour and 15 minutes, the board opened the public portion of the meeting.
Board member Jeremiah Crockett made the following motion, “I move to direct the chair to communicate with the association and the individual grievant a decision on the grievance.”
Hammer said Tuesday he could not elaborate on which association was involved, nor identify the individual because it was a personnel matter.
The board was also given an update on a credit card issue that was noted in the district’s most recent audit. According to Hammer, 11 gas receipts from an Irving credit card, totaling $375 were not turned in last year. The district was able to trace the fill-ups based on the monthly statement from the credit card company and matched those entries to days that the school’s van was in use.
Henderson said she felt a greater emphasis needed to be made with individuals using the district’s credit card for fill-ups to bring back receipts. She also suggested that if those individuals had to pay for the gas out of their own pocket and needed the receipt for reimbursement, there would be fewer missing receipts at the end of the year.
Board Chairman Fred Grant announced that district would soon be receiving its budget figures from the state and would commence work on its next budget. A finance committee meeting is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. in the conference room. That meeting is open to the public.
The next regular meeting of the RSU 29 board is Monday, March 3, at 6 p.m. at Houlton Southside School.
