School starts in RSU 68
Enrollment up slightly
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
SEBEC — Less than a week after students returned to classes following the summer break, the RSU 68 school board met on Sept. 1 at the Harland Ladd Municipal Building — the first of three consecutive months the directors move the regular monthly meetings to the three district communities outside of Dover-Foxcroft.
“The opening week of school, I think, has gone very well, we have such a wonderful team I think works very well together,” Superintendent Robert Lucy said in thanking the administrators, faculty and staff for creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for students. He said the team at the SeDoMoCha School has in place “a positive, engaging and safe environment.”
Lucy said a new traffic flow plan is in place for students being dropped off and picked up. “About a week ago we sent a letter to parents letting them know of a different traffic pattern for this year,” he said, aimed to reduce congestion and make the area safer for everyone.
The entrance to campus is now only one-way traffic from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. when school is in session. Those coming to SeDoMoCha will turn right into the entrance and then can only exit farther up Harrison Avenue during the two hour-long durations.
“So far I think it’s working well,” Lucy said. “We have a sign indicating it’s one way only during the timeframes.”
“I’m pleased to report our enrollment continues to be very steady,” the superintendent said. He said earlier in the day the total for prekindergarten through grade 8 was 671 students, seven more than nearly one year prior and 44 pupils more than 2011.
“Overall we have 288 students in our middle school, grades 5-8, and that is 10 more students than we had Oct. 1 last year,” Lucy said. “We are pleased to see our enrollment increasing and holding steady.”
He said the number of kindergarteners is down to 57 students from 72 early in the 2014-15 academic year, while this year’s sixth-grade class is up to 75 from 60.
SeDoMoCha Principal Julie Kimball told the school board that the Rose Award, presented to eighth-graders at the end of the year who have attained high honors for every ranking period in grades 6-8, will be phased out with this year’s grade 6 class being the last group eligible for the honor.
Kimball said the decision to stop the Rose Award, which she said has been presented to about six to eight students annually in recent years, came from discussions on whether the criteria puts too much pressure on the middle-schoolers, especially if some pupils end up missing the honor by a mere fraction of a grade. “Is it really worth it when they’re at that critical age?,” she said.
“We have our honor roll and high honor roll assembly at the end of every quarter,” Kimball said, and high achieving students will still be eligible for the President’s Award.
“With our middle school philosophy we want our kids to strive and do their best and they do,” Lucy said. He said the decision to discontinue the Rose Award is intended to reduce pressure put on students.
Foxcroft Academy Head of School Arnold Shorey updated the board on two recent news events, first saying media and English teacher Mia Morrison is one of three finalists for the Maine Teacher of the Year award. “It’s just an honor to get as far as she has,” Shorey said, saying Morrison has a good shot to win the award.
Shorey also talked about how Foxcroft Academy senior Hunter Smith suffered a dislocated left hip several days prior during an exhibition football game at Orono. “He’s probably played his last football game for Foxcroft Academy,” Shorey said, with Smith — a Div. I college football prospect and three-sport star for the Ponies — eyeing a return to the court for basketball season.
“What an impressive young man,” Shorey said. “He could have his head down and mope but he has a great attitude, saying, ‘I’m going to get better.’ You can tell a lot about character through adversity.”