FARMINGTON – A Mount Blue High School student was issued a long-term suspension for furnishing marijuana on school property earlier this year.

The SAD 9 Board of Directors ruled 12-1 Tuesday night that the boy clearly violated the district’s code of conduct, and for the well-being of the student and the school, should be suspended until Jan. 5.

Alison Broome of Vienna opposed the action.

The student, who was at the closed session hearing with his mother, will come before the board again on Dec. 9 and must prove that he has and will demonstrate good behavior, has refrained from the use of illegal substances, has kept up with his academics and has undergone substance abuse counseling before being readmitted.

Board Chairman Greg Webber of New Sharon told the boy he was valued by the board as a student and should use the time to reflect and prepare himself to come back.

The only other item addressed on the short agenda was that the preliminary reports for how schools rank in regards to the No Child Left Behind Act are out.

Although Assistant Superintendent Susan Pratt couldn’t identify which SAD 9 schools would be on the list, she did admit it looks like some of the schools in the district would be on the “monitor” list. The state’s commissioner of education’s official list will be released next week.

Schools were evaluated in dozens of categories, including everything from student participation to the percentage of students with access to the Internet at home. Schools that were below standard, even in one or two categories, were placed on the monitor list while schools with major problems were placed on a “priority” list.

Pratt said once the official list is out, administrators will figure out the problem areas and then find ways to correct them.

Board members expressed concern that some of the evaluation criteria were beyond district control, such as online access at home.

“It sounds like we were getting arrested for speeding, and we don’t have a speedometer and the cop doesn’t have radar,” said board member Neil Stinneford of Weld.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link