POLAND – Poland Regional High School is gearing up for its parent/teacher conference night in October. At Wednesday night’s PRHS committee meeting, Principal Bill Doughty and Dean of Faculty Angela Atkinson-Duina both spoke about the conference night, which will be held from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 11.

Also on Oct. 11, there will be a presentation by Seth Blodgett from the Maine Attorney General’s Office about online safety for young people. This presentation will take place at 5 p.m. in the auditorium at the high school.

The committee expressed its hope that many parents will take advantage of this presentation to educate themselves about topics such as personal Web sites and cyber-bullying.

Don King, director of co-curricular activities, offered an update about the Light the Knights committee, which is raising money to light Poland’s athletic fields. The committee has had its first meeting, and also has received its first donation of $1,000.

Committee members are looking into grants to help with funding, and have also had a few other entities express interest in donating.

Assistant Superintendent Marc Gendron also spoke regarding the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR, and what it could mean for Maine schools. He provided the committee with resources to learn more about TABOR, and informed them of a presentation next month in Auburn that school committees can attend to learn more and ask questions about this important issue.

He also told the committee that there will be an informational meeting about TABOR from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19 at Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls. It will serve as an open forum for people to discuss, learn about, and ask questions about TABOR.

The committee discussed the possibility of having a similar meeting in Poland, but are not sure if that will be possible.

Also, Committee Chairwoman Laurie Levine read aloud a letter from Mark and Deborah Hews, parents in Poland, commending the high school’s music teacher, Susan Stockwell, for her commitment to her students, and her willingness to go above and beyond for her classes and students in extra-curricular activities.

“Thank you, Debbie and Mark for taking the time to commend a teacher. It is always appreciated,” Levine said.