OXFORD – School starts Wednesday for elementary school students and students in grades seven and nine. The remaining students will begin school on Thursday.

For the students in grades seven and nine, the early start will be a chance to get acquainted with their new schools before the upperclassmen arrive. “It gives them a day to get oriented,” explained Superintendent Mark Eastman of the annual tradition of bringing the students back to school in shifts.

“We’re excited to have everybody back,” said Eastman Monday as he prepared to meet with the staff early Tuesday morning in an assembly. At that time, the staff will hear a report about the district’s goal of reaching full proficiency in math and reading by the year 2014, as dictated by the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. At SAD 17, the goal will be approached in two phases with 75 percent of students meeting the goal by 2011 and at least 90 percent by 2014.

“Our initiatives around improving overall student performance will be at the top of our priorities,” said Eastman. Toward that goal, the superintendent noted the district’s annual Aspire Higher parade will be held on Sept. 29 – to promote interest in post-secondary education. He called it a “hallmark” event for the school district.

Eastman said staff arrived back at school Monday and will spend Tuesday preparing classrooms, meeting with peers and having some staff development Tuesday afternoon.

Almost all of the staff has been hired for the new school year. The new hires include: Kristen Bolduc, grade 4 teacher at Otisfield Elementary School; Amy DiTommaso, eighth-grade social studies teacher; Paul Hakanson, special education teacher at the middle school; and James Haney, special education technician at the high school.

Also on the list of new hires are Margaret Rearick, Title 1 reading recovery teacher at Oxford Elementary; Rosalie Schwaner, eighth-grade science teacher; Melinda Thompson, special education teacher at the high school; Jaimie Twitchell, Title 1 teacher at Agnes Gray Elementary in West Paris; and part-time music teacher Kathleen Weeks.

Erin Flynn has been hired as guidance and academics coordinator. She served as guidance counselor at the Oxford Hill Comprehensive High School for the past four years.

New administrators have also been hired.

Kim Ramharter, the assistant principal of Rowe Elementary School, has been named principal of Harrison Elementary School, replacing Patricia Bradbury, who retired in June.

Paul Bickford, SAD 17’s director of academics and student affairs, has been hired as assistant principal at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School replacing Chris Record, who left to take a principal’s position in another school district.