SAD 1 superintendent explains ice hockey officials’ rejection of MPA contract to school board

1 year ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — SAD 1 Superintendent Ben Greenlaw brought the SAD 1 school board up to date on the contract issue between the Maine Principals’ Association and high school ice hockey officials during a meeting Wednesday night.

The MPA approved a three-year contract in July 2022 for all Maine school sports officials, but the ice hockey officials voted on Oct. 18 to reject the rate proposal. The season begins in November.

High school hockey officials requested a rate of $90 per game that the MPA rejected, and claim that club hockey and travel hockey officials are paid more than they are, Greenlaw said. The Maine chapter of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association and the high school hockey officials will try to make an arrangement prior to the start of the season, he said.

“That’s the rub right now, and I think the MPA feels like we can’t bargain individually with every single organization because they have to be mindful of how an increase impacts all the school budgets in the state of Maine,” Greenlaw said.

Earlier in the meeting, the members of the yearbook staff gave a presentation about the 2023 publication coming out in May or June 2023. Some highlights included mentions of Emily and Lindsay Hines as the guest speakers on the opening episode of the “Ask Mike” podcast in Missouri. They were interviewed about how they run the yearbook as editors.

“Ultimately beyond capturing everybody’s awkward teenage phase: Learning graphic design, customer service, photography, writing. To me this is kind of the why. I think really it’s a servant leadership sort of position,” said Presque Isle High School English teacher Marcie Young.

Senior Rossalyn Buck from Presque Isle High School was selected for the Maine Department of Education Student Cabinet.

SAD 1 has committed to selling 40,000 pounds of apples to Good Shepherd Food Bank with 6,500 already shipped and another shipment of 6,500 pounds being prepared to ship.

A request to increase the credit limit of SAD 1 from $20,000 to $50,000, adding a third credit card to their two credit cards from Katahdin Trust, was unanimously approved.

Enrollment figures for this year compared to last are: ACAP school down five students; Mapleton up 15 students; Pine Street up 24 elementary and 19 pre-k students; Zipple up 11; Presque Isle Middle School down 15; and Presque Isle High School up eight.

Homeschool numbers have decreased from 96 students in 2021 to 86 students in 2022.

The board unanimously approved Shara Page as the new director of adult education. Page holds a bachelor’s in International Studies from University of Maine at Presque Isle and a master’s in adult learning and higher education from University of Southern Maine. She previously was the director of advising of UMPI.

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — October 19, 2022 — School board votes unanimously on approval of bills and warrants to date at the high school board conference room. (Paul Bagnall | The Star-Herald)