RUMFORD – The SAD 43 board expelled a Mountain Valley Middle School student Monday night following a 45-minute closed session.

The board also heard a proposal from the nutrition services manager to close food production at Rumford Elementary School.

The board unanimously with with abstention to expel the boy until evidence proves that he can return to class.

He was expelled for assaulting a staff member at the school. No other information was provided.

The board met with the boy, a parent, middle school Principal Charles Lever and middle school Assistant Principal Ryan Casey before making its decision.

Jeanne Lapointe, nutrition services manager, said the plan to eliminate the food production kitchen at the elementary school would free up money to replace the district’s aging equipment and to accept larger food orders that would cut their costs.

The kitchen at Mountain Valley High School would provide meals to Rumford elementary, as well as to the high school. St. Athanasius and St. John Parochial School and the Pennacook Learning Center, all in Rumford.

The kitchen at the middle school would continue to prepare meals for Meroby Elementary School, Region 9 School of Applied Technology and the alternative education program as well as for the middle school, all in Mexico.

Lapointe said the plan will likely not eliminate any of the food service positions, but could reduce the total number of hours some employees work.

If the plan goes ahead, it will go into effect in the 2007-08 school year.

In other business, the board accepted the resignations for the purpose of retirement of Lever, who has served his entire 38-year career in SAD 43, and Meroby elementary teacher, Elyse Briggs, who has also served 38 years in education. The resignation of high school mathematics teacher, Richard Todd, was also accepted.

Lever had announced his intention to retire at the end of the current school year last fall. Ryan Casey was appointed as assistant principal at about that time and is expected to fill the position of principal in the fall.

The board also extended Superintendent Jim Hodgkin’s current contract that expires in 2009 to June 30, 2012. The move was made, said Hodgkin, to assure that he will have employment within the district while the state determines which districts will be combined under a statewide school district regionalization plan.

Also on Monday:

• the board approved a three-day, two-night trip on March 21-23, to the 19th century Mystic seaport in Connecticut for about 30 students who take part in the district’s after school program.

• granted an unpaid leave of absence for Rumford elementary teacher April Halacy for the remainder of the school year.