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RSU 9 board meeting: staff recognitions, bus safety steps, snow-day policy discussion and First 10 outreach introduction
Summary
The RSU 9 meeting included staff-of-the-month recognitions, a transportation report praising driver safety and training, a superintendent explanation of increased bus-discipline measures, a debate on online snow-day learning, and an introduction of Anita Stevens as a First 10 community-school outreach coordinator.
The RSU 9 board recognized support staff and teachers, received updates on transportation and student safety, and heard a community-school presentation for early-childhood supports.
Staff recognition and good news: The board named Elizabeth Tracy, EdTech 3 at Cape Cod Hill School, as support-staff person of the month and recognized Gracie Libby, music teacher at Cape Cod Hill and Cascade Brook School, as professional staff person of the month. The board praised recent concerts, student progress and community events including the Chester Greenwood parade.
Transportation and bus safety: Acting superintendent (Speaker 2) reported increased difficulties on some school buses, particularly in middle and high school, and said riding the bus "is a privilege" that may result in longer suspensions for repeat misconduct. Transportation director Richard (Speaker 8) thanked drivers and aides for a safe winter route and described driver appreciation events and recurring CPR/first-aid and driver-dynamics training.
Snow-day practice: Board members discussed whether to replace snow days with online learning. The acting superintendent described RSU 9’s current approach and argued against a mandatory online-learning replacement for snow days because access to reliable internet and equal family supports varies across rural households. He also raised school-nutrition concerns for students who rely on meals provided by schools.
First 10 community-school outreach: Anita Stevens, the First 10 community-school outreach coordinator at Kidcot Hill, described her grant-funded role focused on prenatal-through-age-10 supports, pre-K to kindergarten transition work, a family-resource binder and a volunteer ride program that would help families access services and school pick-ups. Stevens said the outreach hub will coordinate with community partners and provide resources and family programming, including a parent-powered texting campaign for developmental activities.
Routine actions: The board approved the consent agenda following a short procedural correction about agenda sequencing; it also approved a Franklin County Fiddlers request to attend a regional music and dance festival, conditioned on providing chaperone names and required background checks. The meeting subsequently moved into an executive session under 1 MRSA §4056 to discuss a sabbatical.
What comes next: Staff will prepare voter materials for the 144 High Street proposal; administrators will continue to publicize bus expectations and follow up on family communications and community-school rollout plans.
