PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Three teachers and one principal — representing a combined 138 years in education — will be retiring at the end of the 2013-14 school year.
At last Wednesday night’s SAD 1 board meeting, directors accepted the impending retirements of Carolyn Phelps, second-grade teacher at Pine Street Elementary School; as well as Zippel Elementary School’s Cheryl Martin, fifth-grade teacher, Diana Mulherin, special education teacher, and Principal Sharon Brown.
As she nears the end of her 40th year as an educator, Phelps said it has been a privilege to spend her career with the talented and dedicated employees of SAD 1.
“I have tried to instill enthusiasm for learning, reading and thinking in the more than 750 children with whom I have worked,” wrote Phelps in her letter of retirement. “I hope that my motto ‘Mrs. Phelps Helps’ will be remembered in this community for many years as my students grow to adulthood.”
Martin said while “teaching young children is my passion and I know I will miss it, it is time for me to experience some new adventures in my life.”
Throughout her 15 years working in the special education program, Mulherin said she has experienced “many challenges and joys.”
“I often voice that it takes a village to raise a child and no better place could be found than in SAD 1. Not only have I been fortunate to work closely with many teachers and support staff, but I have had parents, cooks, custodians, bus drivers and ed techs who collectively made a difference in the life of a child,” she said. “This is such a fundamental reason for the success of any program including one of which I have been a part.”
Since 1982, Brown said SAD 1 and its people “have been like home and family to me.”
“I am a restless sort and have held many positions with the district, all of which allowed me to meet and work with many wonderful people. I have had an opportunity to grow in knowledge, patience and compassion,” she said. “Thank you for the trust placed in me all these years to teach and guide our children. I have been blessed.”
The board will formally recognize the retirees at an upcoming board meeting.
Also at the April 9 meeting, directors:
• Approved Michael Waugh as a social studies teacher at Presque Isle High School, and David Bartlett as the assistant principal at PIHS. Bartlett, who is currently the head teacher of the district’s alternative education program, will replace Ben Greenlaw, who will become the new principal when Donna Lisnik retires June 30.
Superintendent Gehrig Johnson said that in addition to the vacancies resulting from the retirements announced last Wednesday, the district also has a half-time adult education position open, as well as a Spanish teacher at PIHS.
“I hope to have a slate of nominees for the board at the April 30 meeting,” said Johnson. “This is the time of year when there’s some moving around, and I anticipate some internal transferring.”
• Approved a job description for the next superintendent, as Johnson will be retiring in December following a 30-year career with the district.
Board Chair Lucy Richard said advertising for the position began April 1, while the deadline for applications is May 31.
“An invitation to apply and a brochure created by our Career and Technical Education program was mailed by the Maine School Management Association to every superintendent and assistant superintendent in the state, and then the copy of our advertisement for the position went out electronically to local, state and national sites,” she said. “We did use the standard job application from MSMA and we added a couple of personal statements that we’d like the candidates to address in their application.
“Within 24 hours I got a message back from MSMA where they had already gotten requests for applications, so we’re hopeful in moving forward,” said Richard.
Regarding the 2015 budget, Business Manager Charles Anderson said there was a bit of good news to report.
“The state’s current-year budget is now balanced as of a couple of weeks ago, and part of that balancing act included making sure that the $9.5 million in state aid that was sort of in limbo is actually part of the current-year budget,” he said. “For us that represented about $190,000 of which we’ve been receiving one-twelfth each month, so we won’t have to give that back between now and June 30.
“I haven’t heard anything different in terms of adjournment of the legislature which is supposed to be April 17, so there isn’t a lot of time for much change in what we think we’re going to be receiving,” said Anderson. “We’re optimistic that the estimate that we shared with you previously — a gain of $219,000 as opposed to the half million-plus losses that we’ve experienced for at least five years — will hold, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
An FY15 budget meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 29 at the board conference room at PIHS, while a second budget workshop — if needed — will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. A special board meeting will follow and will include the approval of the budget and warrant articles.
Other upcoming dates include a regular board meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 with a district budget meeting to follow, while the budget validation referendum is set for Tuesday, June 10.
