FARMINGTON – SAD 9 directors on Tuesday night adopted new curricula for math and English/language arts, based largely on the Maine Learning Results.

Cheryl Pike, Cape Cod Hill School principal and member of the Mathematics Subject Area Committee for SAD 9, said the new curriculum will introduce concepts at a lower grade level, then reintroduced and built upon several times in the educational career.

For instance, fractions were previously introduced and expected to be mastered in fourth grade. The new system will introduce basic fraction concepts in first grade and revisit them in the second, third, and fourth grades. The goal is to promote a greater understanding of the concepts.

While the new standards won’t be in effect until 2008, Pike hoped to begin transitioning to the new system in the fall. “It will be like a test run,” she said. “The fortunate thing is that we have the time.”

A similar system was proposed by Darlene Paine, principal of Academy Hill and Cushing schools. In developing the English/language arts program, the committee aligned the current curriculum with the Maine Learning Results.

“This proposed Maine Learning Results has much more clarity,” Paine said.

The board adopted both new curricula by unanimous vote.

Directors also elected to hire a full-time occupational therapist for the special education department. Occupational therapists had previously been employed via contract with Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Directors thought employing one independently would save money and have a more direct effect on students.

In other business, directors honored Mt. Blue High School’s top 11 graduating seniors. Rebecca Schoen, Pete Farnum, Tory Gray, Jamie Foss, Ben Lochala, Alexandra Drexel, Ann Marie Dorr, James Brann, Kevin Quinn-Kelley and Xena Colby each received a certificate and reported their future plans to the board. Jamie Foss credited his father for inspiring his success.

“My dad kinda laid the law down early on,” he said, adding, “I sacrificed a little, but it was worth it.”