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RSU 12 reports smooth school openings but flags driver, staffing pressures
Summary
Superintendent and principals told the RSU 12 school board the year opened well, with new programs (regulated classroom, PBIS), strong pre-K and K enrollments in some schools and record greenhouse harvests. The district also warned of continuing bus-driver shortages and high demand for special-education placements.
RSU 12 leaders told the school board the district has had a largely successful start to the school year while continuing to grapple with staffing shortages and growing program demand.
The superintendent said the district is "to a good start here [to] the school year," pointing to new classroom activities such as a districtwide "one school, one book" event at Chelsea Elementary and training funded through an EASE grant that supports an additional social worker. The superintendent also described a short, accessible curriculum called the "regulated classroom" that trained staff and aims to help students settle and be ready to learn.
Principals from the district’s small schools reported full enrollments and busy opening weeks. Somerville’s principal said Somerville has 32 four‑year‑olds in pre-K and unusually high shuttle use from neighboring towns. Chelsea’s principal said the school welcomed 266 students and is using PTA funds to install a new digital sign to communicate with families. In Whitefield, Principal Mark Bo praised the custodial and facilities staff who filled gaps after retirements and an accident and credited PBIS and restorative practices for a calm first day: "it didn't feel like a first day of school — it felt like we've been in school for months," Bo said.
Windsor Principal Heather Wilson described teaching staff to notice students’ "emotional backpack" and using simple regulated‑classroom activities so teachers and students can manage feelings and focus on learning.
Special‑education staff, including Assistant Special Education Director Stephanie Smith, told the board district programs are near capacity. Smith said the autism/behavior program is "rocking and rolling" with students from multiple towns and noted the district is exploring trauma‑informed approaches (a program called "Ukeru") to reduce retraumatization and provide better supports in classroom settings.
Board members and administrators repeatedly raised concerns about transportation. The superintendent and others said the district runs 16 buses daily and relies on a small pool of regular drivers and several substitutes. They said recent departures and limited licensing/training capacity create a domino effect: when one driver leaves, routes must be reworked or students dismissed early. The board is pursuing training classes and grant funding to develop new drivers but cautioned the shortage is a statewide problem.
The board approved the consent agenda and accepted a Personnel report that included the hiring of Brinley Denny as a middle‑school special‑education teacher at Chelsea. Several board members encouraged community support for recruiting for open ed‑tech and custodial positions.
The meeting concluded with routine committee assignment notes and announcements about an upcoming Maine School Boards Association conference.
