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Superintendent: SRO must be employed by law-enforcement agency; district continuing hiring for multiple positions
Summary
Superintendent said school resource officers must be employed by a law-enforcement agency to carry firearms and raised jurisdiction issues; separately the district reported multiple hires, including a special-education teacher and a Grade 3 teacher, both approved by the board.
Superintendent (name not specified) told the board the district received legal guidance indicating a school resource officer must be employed by a law-enforcement agency in order to carry a firearm while assigned in schools. She said Rumford police, Oxford County sheriff and other agencies have differing jurisdictions across district towns and that Oxford County Sheriff Wainwright will meet with district staff to discuss SRO coverage.
The superintendent said Rumford police indicated they may not have jurisdiction to provide an SRO in Nazinskote Valley towns and that Oxford County sheriff holds law-enforcement jurisdiction in Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner. The superintendent said she had scheduled a meeting with Sheriff Wainwright for the following day to clarify coverage and options.
Separately, the board approved several personnel recommendations. The board voted to approve the superintendent’s recommendation to hire Kristen Bernard as a special-education teacher at HSES (motion by Peter; seconded by Bonnie) and Joshua Thornton as a Grade 3 teacher at Mountain Valley Community School/Regional Elementary School (motion by Bonnie; seconded by Ed). Both motions passed unanimously. The superintendent described Bernard’s qualifications (bachelor of science and conditional special-education certification; participating in a supportive seed program) and Thornton’s background (bachelor of science from Plymouth State and conditional certification pathway).
The superintendent also enumerated other staffed hires and appointments in the personnel report (including new special-ed techs, bus driver/custodian hires, and nutrition services staff); the board accepted those appointments during the meeting.
