The public was notified of the expulsion because it fits with the Right to Know Law.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – The SAD 43 board on Monday unanimously voted to expel a middle school student for making a series of bomb threats.

They also ratified a new three-year contract for the district’s 22 nutrition services employees and began work on a new contract for the educational technicians and secretaries bargaining units contracts.

In the first expulsion of the school year and for Superintendent Jim Hodgkin, the reason for an expulsion was made public. He said such information should be made public because it fits with the Right to Know Law.

Anne Simmons-Edmunds, a representative from Byron, said the directors also wanted the community to know that the board takes bomb threats seriously.

Hodgkin said the Mountain Valley Middle School girl made several bomb threats, beginning with the start of the school year.

Action was taken following a 25-minute closed session that included the board, superintendent, middle school Principal Charles Lever and Assistant Principal Chris Decker, and for part of the time, the child and her parent.

Mexico board member Betty Barrett, when making the motion, said the student will be out of school until she shows evidence that such behavior isn’t likely to reoccur.

Following a five-minute closed session, the board ratified a new three-year contract for the nutrition services bargaining unit that includes a 3 percent raise for each of the three years, an increase in the number of paid holidays, and more liberal bereavement leave.

Retroactive pay of $2,472 will be made to July 1, 2003, which is the expiration date of the previous three-year contract.

Holidays will be increased from eight to nine during the first year of the contract, and from nine to 10 for the second year. Another provision of the contract allows the superintendent to charge sick leave if the three days of bereavement leave have been used.

Other components of the contract include: a $750 retirement benefit for employees who have served at least 15 years in the district; a slight increase in medical benefits; an increase in sick days from five to 10 per year; and a cash in lieu of medical insurance coverage equal to one-half the cost for a single policy provided that person has worked at least one year in the district and has other medical insurance.

The new contract is in effect until June 30, 2006.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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