RANGELEY – Principal Donald Salm praised the activities and accomplishments of students and faculty at Rangeley Lakes Regional School at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

Teacher Shirley Connolly has been chosen as a mentor for University of Maine Farmington student Margaret Neirey, who will begin her student teaching in Rangeley on Jan. 21. Connolly has also been chosen to present a workshop on the use of laptops in language arts and social studies at the superintendents convocation in Scarborough later this week.

The Rangeley Housing Development Corp. sent a letter of thanks to students Ashley Morton, Kelly Brooks, Cody Brooks, Savannah White and Allison White for their assistance in digging out residents’ cars following December’s record snowfall.

The Girl Scout junior troop will participate in February’s Have a Heart month by collecting canned goods to restock the food bank.

Superintendent Kenneth Coville informed the committee of a problem transferring money during the last payroll cycle, which delayed pay for school staff for nearly a week. He said the problem was caused by a lack of clerical staff at the town office and that the school board should expect a warrant issue for reimbursement to employees for bank charges incurred by the delay. The warrant will be drawn from school funds, but it is anticipated the cost will be borne by the town.

Johanna Colello received the committee’s approval for her return service agreement to fund her studies at the University of Maine to get a school guidance certification. The agreement is in anticipation of the June 2004 retirement of school guidance counselor Theo Bartash.

In order to meet the recommendation of the auditor Rick Walker and the committee, Coville presented a proposal to reduce the school budget by $50,000. Included are $35,000 in reductions in health care costs and staffing, and $15,000 from the school’s contingency fund.

The committee approved the recommendation of the superintendent and lifted the freeze on all nonessential spending. Teachers reported on the impact the month-long freeze was having on the curriculum.

The next board meeting is from 3 to 6 p.m. Feb. 3 at the school. The Jan. 27 meeting was canceled so School Union 37’s board can meet at 6:30 p.m. that evening in the Rangeley school cafeteria.

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