DIXFIELD — At Monday night’s meeting, members of the Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10 approved two contracts with Rumford and Mexico to use athletic fields and a gymnasium for set annual fees.

The board also learned about new hires, and that student handbooks will only be available electronically on the new RSU 10 website at http://rsu10schools.com.

Of the two contracts, Superintendent Tom Ward said that one new thing is that Rumford increased its lease price for the Hosmer Field Complex from $15,000 to $20,000, whereas Mexico continues to charge $1,500 annually for leased use of the recreation building gym and $500 annually for similar use of the town softball and baseball fields.

Director Betty Barrett, who is also on the Mexico Budget Committee, said she believes Mexico is undercharging RSU 10, and it’s a matter for Mexico officials to resolve.

Ward also pointed out a new detail in the Rumford contract that RSU 10 reserves the right to allow any of its schools access to the facilities and grounds at Hosmer Field, although Mountain Valley Region schools will aways have priority.

“Of all the RSU 10 teams, Mountain Valley teams have the first shot, and I wanted that in there,” Ward said.

In other business, Ward said the following are new hires:

— Amy McDaniel, special education teacher at Dirigo Elementary School (one-year position).

— George Affleck, alternative education teacher at Mountain Valley High School.

— David Rossler, music teacher at Dirigo Middle School.

— Amanda Houghton, school nurse at Dirigo Middle and High schools.

— William Jack Rioux, physical education teacher at Dirigo Middle School. Rioux was also named varsity boys’ soccer coach at Dirigo High School.

Ward said new RSU 10 student handbooks aren’t yet on the new website but will be up soon.

“All student handbooks will be there for parents and students to inspect, so it won’t cost a ton of money,” Ward said.

Additionally, all new RSU 10 policies will be placed on the website, along with a district events calendar.

When asked how parents who don’t have laptops or computers could review the handbook, Ward said copies would be mailed to these parents who ask for the handbook.

Director Armand Rowe then pointed out that they shouldn’t call it a handbook if it’s not going to be available in book form. Rowe suggested they call it an E-book, as in electronic book, which Ward said was a good idea.

For RSU 10 teachers, school starts on Wednesday, Aug. 25; for students, Thursday, Aug. 26.

New teachers and the school board will meet each other at the board’s next meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23, at Dirigo High School.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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