The SAD 1 school board held their monthly meeting April 9 at Mapleton Elementary School.
Before the meeting formally started, Principal Dan Duprey welcomed the board and introduced the school’s fifth grade students, who recently performed their play “The Greatest Americans of the 20th Century.” The play was an unqualified success due to the commitment of the students, their families and school staff.
The students sang and told stories about famous Americans such as Jackson Pollock, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Albert Einstein. Everyone had a great time rehearsing and performing the play. When asked, the kids jumped at the chance to perform for the board. They were eager to perform the complete play, but the principal was able to negotiate them down to one song about which Roosevelt was the best, Teddy or Franklin.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
Their performance was quite educational, fun and delightful. Board Chair Lucy Richard thanked the kids and their families for coming back to school to perform for the board.
The board set dates for its annual budget preparation and adoption. The board adopted the following dates: budget workshop, April 23, 5:30 p.m.; special budget board approval meeting, May 1, 5:30 p.m.; school board meeting, May 14, 5:30 p.m., with district public budget adoption, 7 p.m. The board reviewed the district’s current financial status and heard district updates and happenings from Superintendent Ben Greenlaw.
A major decision of the board was the adoption of a differentiated diploma, designed to be an alternative diploma option for students who faced a life-altering hardship that had a detrimental impact on their opportunity to graduate. This pathway will be highly structured program for a very small select group of students that have very extreme events or circumstances beyond their control that will prevent them from graduating.
The board accepted retirement letters from Lynne Brabant, Mapleton Elementary Grade 1 teacher; Sue Richards, Mapleton Elementary Pre-K Title 1 teacher; and Nancy Watson, Zippel Elementary Grade 4 teacher. The combined teaching experience of these three teachers is 106 years. All three of these teachers have been leaders in their schools and it was poignant that the board was at Mapleton Elementary School to accept the retirements of Brabant and Richards.
After accepting these retirements, the board approved the hiring of Kevin Smith to be the new electrical technology instructor at the Presque Isle Tech Center; Emma Boone for the Pine Street Elementary physical education position and Dylan Marrero to fill the physical education teaching position that is half time for Presque Isle Middle School and half time at Presque Isle High School.
Pageants are Sunday
The Mapleton Daze Committee invites everyone to attend their 2024 Mapleton Pageants at 3 p.m. this Sunday April 28. The pageants will be held at the Mapleton Elementary School.
Tickets will be $10 at the door; however, contestants can sell them in advance for $8.
Contestants for 2024 are: Olivia Locke for Miss Mapleton, Carrlyn Buck for Miss Teen Mapleton, Molly Kinney for Miss Junior Mapleton, Elizabeth Corey for Miss Junior Mapleton, Aiva Elliott for Miss Preteen Mapleton, and Skylaya Darrell and Adelyn Elliott for Little Miss Mapleton.
Funds raised from this event will help support this June’s 35th Mapleton Daze Festival.
Spring Craft Fair
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Mapleton Daze Committee’s Spring Craft Fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at the Mapleton Elementary School. Come and browse the cafeteria, gym and hallways, which will be filled with talented local crafters and vendors. This event will be just in time to get your gifts and other items for spring and Mother’s Day.
Crafter/vendor slots are full, but if you would like to be put on a waiting list for a possible opening, please reach out to Laurie Boucher or the Mapleton Daze Facebook page for information.
Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
