July 30, 2025
To: RSU Board of Directors
From: Mark L. Campbell, Superintendent of Schools
Re: August Board Report
Your administration has been reviewing applications for the open positions in their buildings and conducting interviews. With the help of staff who oversee or work closely with the personnel who fill these positions, administrators have nominated candidates to me after completing a new hire sheet where notes from conversations with references are required. When it comes to administrative positions, the committee has included staff and Board members with me to conduct interviews. I then do the reference calls and new hire sheets. We interviewed candidates for the principalship for Anson and Solon this week. If I am able to complete reference calls and come to an agreement on a salary package, we will bring a name forth at this meeting through an addendum to the agenda. I will email you background information as soon as I have completed the necessary paperwork
A reminder, that beginning today, July 30 through Friday, I am at Greely High School to complete a training to become a trainer for RSU 74 on helping staff support students who might become dysregulated.
Other tasks being completed by administrators this summer includes updating student handbooks. While the Elementary handbook has been kept pretty current, Bruce has taken the time to make the handbook for high school students more aesthetically appealing and with links to necessary Board policies so the handbook will automatically become updated as policies change. Administrators will be prepared to answer any questions you may have on their books at this meeting under presentations. The new version can be found online and if you prefer hardcopies, please contact Linda Durland and she will print the books off for you.
As well under presentations, administrators will do a review of the safety protocols for threats and dysregulated students.
Our student data analysis has been delayed this summer due to our State testing platform being sold in the late spring. The NorthWest Educational Assessment (NWEA) was purchased by one of the major book publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. As the transfer of controls were being made, we were not able to access information. That is slowly being opened back up. This may hamper our ability to have the numeric figures to back up school goals for the upcoming school year.
Agenda:
Under resignations, you will formally find Jean Butler’s resignation announcement. I do not believe anyone can tell you every little and big task that Jean has done for the school district for decades. The two paged list of tasks she provided me opened my eyes. Her energies for years has been focused on promoting programs that prepared teachers to provide opportunities for the students that have walked the hallways of Embden Elementary, Solon Elementary, Mark Emery Elementary, Garret Schenck School, and Carrabec Community School where at some time in her RSU 74 career she served as the building principal. As well, her work with the professional development committee has steered this work for staff district-wide for years. She has also completed the necessary application for federal Title funds for years. The list goes on…we certainly owe Jean a huge thank you while respecting her desire to step away without a great deal of fanfare.
You will see Brooke Welch being recommended for an Ed-Tech position at CCS. Brooke is a graduate of Carrabec High and has the necessary credentials to work with our students.
Action Items:
Item 6: Election of a Board Chair for 2025-2026.
Item 7: Election of a Board Vice Chair for 2025-2026.
Item 8: Election of delegate and alternate delegate to the Maine School Board Association. There is a meeting in the fall that is done via ZOOM on a Saturday.
Item 9: The interview committee for filling the 4th grade position at Garett Scheck is recommending Kayla Starr. Kayla, a CHS alumni, has completed her post-secondary education at Suffolk University and Phoenix University. This will be Kayla’s first year in the classroom.