By Donna M. Perry,Staff Writer

JAY – School Committee members voted 3-1 Thursday to add a kindergarten teacher because of an anticipated larger enrollment, Superintendent Robert Wall said Friday.

The board also accepted the resignation of committee member Gene Uhuad, who served on the board for four years and resigned effective Thursday due to changes in his job responsibilities, Wall said.

Wall said School Committee members agreed to advertise for residents interested in serving on the board until the next annual town meeting in April. Once the applications are submitted, the panel would interview candidates and appoint a new member to the board.

A second position on the board is scheduled for a runoff vote at the polls on June 20 at the Community Building. Both incumbent committee member Joel Pike and challenger Brent “Joe” DeSanctis received the same number of votes at the polls in April.

Wall said he recommended a fourth teacher – the position would be for a year – be added to teach kindergarten. There are 51 kindergartners enrolled, and with three teachers that puts 17 students in each class, Wall said.

Last year, 11 students enrolled over the summer and it is projected that another 10 students may enroll this summer, he said.

In the current school year there are four kindergarten teachers with 58 students, he said, and we’re projecting 62 students for 2005-06.

Chairman Clint Brooks was the dissenter in the vote, Wall said. Brooks cited finances, the state formula indicating Jay had a higher ratio of teachers per student than recommended, and that the school system should wait and see if more kindergartners enroll this summer before adding another kindergarten teacher, Wall said.

The board also:

• agreed to lease a new 2006 school bus as approved by voters;

• appointed Scott MacCallum as a technology repair technician;

• appointed Deb Lemire and Jen St. Pierre as Learning Center education technicians; and

• agreed to apply to the state revolving renovation fund to get some money to help put in fire alarms to ring at the emergency dispatch center for the high and elementary schools.