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RSU 23 board mourns teacher Jennifer Drapeau; superintendent reports test-score gains and new website
Summary
The RSU 23 board observed a moment of silence for Jameson teacher Jennifer Drapeau, praised staff response, and heard Superintendent John Suttie report notable year-over-year gains on state tests and a planned January rollout of a new district website.
The RSU 23 School Board opened its Oct. 19 meeting with a moment of silence to honor Jameson teacher Jennifer Drapeau, who died earlier this year. Superintendent John Suttie said staff attended her funeral and offered condolences to her husband and two daughters; he praised Barb Fletcher for her leadership supporting staff and families through the loss.
"Condolences go out to her husband Joey, and her two daughters Bryn and Aria," Suttie said in the superintendent's report, and he commended Fletcher’s response as handling "the situation better than any principal could have." Cynthia Robbins created pins with a grey ribbon and wooden purple heart for staff to wear.
Separately, Suttie reported academic performance improvements across the district. He said OOB High School was up 14 percentage points in science, 11 points in math and 12 points in English compared with the prior year; LMS rose about 17 points in science and roughly 4 points in math and English. Suttie noted that small districts can show volatility on tests when the performance of a few students can materially affect percentages, and said the district will change practices to boost proficiency.
The superintendent also said the district is developing a new website, planned for a January rollout, with faculty photos and profiles; the board will receive an overview in the December packet.
Student life updates came from Cierra Albert, who reported on high school homecoming events, college visits and PSAT testing for sophomores and juniors. Committee reports included a finance update saying budget lines are on track and a building-committee report that the Maine Department of Education will visit district facilities Nov. 29–30 to review needs and help the district plan how to present potential facility options to the public.
Board members used the remarks section to note community events and outreach. Peter Flaherty described attending the funeral for Drapeau and a local "Age friendly community" meeting; Louise Reed was reported to have invited board members to a Nov. 20 town council meeting. Board members expressed appreciation for staff and support for students and athletics.
The board later convened an executive session to discuss the superintendent’s summary evaluation and voted to accept the evaluation after the executive session concluded.
What happens next: The district will proceed with the website rollout plan and follow up on the Department of Education’s visit, and the board indicated it will continue to monitor academic outcomes and implementation steps for instructional changes.
