TURNER – SAD 52 directors decided Thursday that 21 people from the three member towns will make up the advisory committee to interview applicants to replace retiring Superintendent Thomas Hanson.

Committee members will include: One school board member from Greene, Leeds and Turner, plus Chair Elizabeth Bullard of Turner; one citizen from each community, plus one citizen at-large; three teachers, one each from the elementary, middle and high schools; three school staff (one from each bargaining unit); five from school administration, one of whom will be Deborah Holland, district business manager; and two students, most likely from Leavitt Area High School.

Board members, who are receiving advice from the Maine School Management Association in developing their search process, stressed that the interviewing committee will be strictly advisory, that the four board members on the committee, and finally the full district board, will be the only persons casting votes determining Hanson’s successor.

The board asked that members of the communities who wish to serve on the committee to contact their town office.

In other action, the board approved an amendment to the district’s extra- and co-curricular activities code of conduct for middle and high school students which makes it a violation ” simply to be knowingly present where prohibited conduct is taking place.” The amendment defines knowingly present as “being present at a party or any location where drugs are being used or underage drinking is taking place and not leaving when the student becomes aware of such activities.”

Before the amendment was adopted, only those students who were found to be participating in such activities, faced the consequences which range all the way to suspension. Board member Peter Ricker of Turner, who cast the sole vote against the amendment, argued the board “does not have the right to tell students where they can be.”

Leavitt Area High School Principal Patrick Hartnett said, “Students who participate in co-and extra-curricular activities have a duty and responsibility to remove themselves from the scene of any such activity.”

The board voted unanimously to have Hanson and Holland try to find $7,340 to provide stipends for sufficient coaches for the surprising number of more than 85 students who have signed up for the Destination Imagination program.

Tim McDonald, director of the program, reminded the board that for many years the program was extremely popular and received ample funding from the board, but he said participation had fallen off the past three or four years, and most of the money allocated for the program was never spent.

Business Manager Holland requested on behalf of the Finance Committee and the board adopted more than 20 changes to its budget presentations beginning with the next budget. Among them are adjustments to the minimum cost for items requiring two price quotes, not listing individual salaries or stipends unless it’s a new position request, showing the true cost of extra-curricular transportation in the budget, and making copies of the budget available to the public at budget workshops with the board.