SAD 41 revising social worker vacancy into counselor position
MILO — The current near $11.3 million SAD 41 budget includes funding for a new social worker position for Milo Elementary and Brownville Elementary. The job was posted on www.servingschools.com in mid-August but so far no one has applied. In order to rectify the situation, the position is being revised into a school counselor in an attempt to attract applicants.
“The need is still great,” Superintendent Darcie Fournier said during a Dec. 4 school board meeting in the Penquis Valley School cafeteria. She mentioned the position was included to help students and families in crisis.
Fournier said there are many college graduates in December, and the hope is to attract someone who recently received their degree to the school counselor position.
The social worker job description said SAD 41 is seeking a licensed social worker to provide social-emotional and behavioral support to students in pre-kindergarten to grade 4. The successful candidate will have experience working with elementary school-aged children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds; skill at implementing and modeling trauma-sensitive practices among staff; a commitment to working with families to promote student success; and a collaborative, problem-solving mindset.
The post said the start date was Aug. 26 and the application was open until a suitable candidate is found.
In other business Milo/Brownville Elementary Principal Carol Smith said, “We’re looking forward to the Kiwanis coming in on Friday to read to our students.”
Smith said this will be a monthly happening with members of the Three Rivers Kiwanis.
In her report she thanked the organization and its president Ken Jay for organizing the reading program. Smith said Three Rivers Kiwanis purchases books annually so students have the opportunity to take home a few titles during the year.
“We love the partnership we have with them and thank them for all they do for our schools,” Smith wrote.
Board Chair Mary Lynn Kazyaka welcomed new board member Amanda Fernald of Milo. Fernald is filling what had been a vacancy through April.
At the September school board meeting Kazyaka said she received the resignation of board member Tony Bavelaar, who mentioned the time needed for other commitments in his life as his reason for stepping down.
Bavelaar was one of five Milo representatives to the board. He was elected to a 3-year term at the 2023 annual town meeting. The Milo Select Board has the power to appoint to fill a vacancy and the board appointed Fernald to the SAD 41 directors.
Kazyaka said in Milo three directors will have terms coming up, in addition to Fernald these are those of Molly Barker and Samantha Foss. Kazyaka said Barker and Foss’ seats are each for 3-year terms and Fernald’s is for one year.
The board chair said Milo nomination papers are due back by Jan. 9, about two months before the annual town meeting on Monday, March 10.
She said in Brownville Andrew Walker’s term will be up in 2025. In that community nomination papers will be available from Dec. 9 to Jan. 16 with the annual town meeting on Monday, March 17.