CARIBOU, Maine — The RSU 39 school board voted unanimously to hire their new director of blended learning for the district last week. Jessica Smith, currently a teacher for Union 122 and a graduate of Caribou High School, will meet the ever-changing needs of the district’s students and stay true to the nature of proficiency-based learning by offering access to an online curriculum and local teachers to alternative high school students, home schooled students and those who have areas they need to develop.
“She’s the right person to get this program up and running, and her technology skills are outstanding,” Superintendent Susan White said.
Early into the Aug. 5 meeting the school board voted unanimously to approve a meeting to authorize the expenditure of funds from the Limestone reserve fund. The community of Limestone will vote on Aug. 19 on whether or not to expend $55,000 from their reserve fund.
After several meetings and tabling the authorization of amendments to the Maine School Management Association Group Insurance Declaration of Trust the board eventually decided to take no action on the issue.
The board voted unanimously to accept the new vs. renovation report provided by PDT and as recommended by the capital improvement project building committee. The board also voted unanimously to accept the top three potential school sites as recommended by the building committee: Teague Park, Hilltop and a site on the Van Buren Road.
It was Superintendent White’s final school board meeting. She is scheduled to step down as superintendent later this month before taking up her former position as principal of Limestone Community School.
Tim Doak will be RSU 39’s new superintendent. He recently resigned as superintendent of SAD 27 to take up his new role in Caribou.
