BETHEL — After nearly two years of work by several school staff teams and the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency, SAD 44 now has an emergency plan for each of the district’s school buildings.

Superintendent David Murphy said the board accepted the plan at a recent meeting, following an overview of the requirements for such plans by the county’s emergency management director, Scott Parker.

He said among the components of the plan are requirements to mark each door and window in each school building, then provide all first responders with a floor plan of each building. Each of the four buildings also has an emergency team comprised of staff members.

The ad hoc committee charged with helping to develop the emergency plan also participated in training for a variety of possible incidents that could affect their building.

This is the district’s first emergency management plan. The previous one was more generic, Murphy said, while this one is building-specific.

The next step in the process calls for the development of a districtwide emergency plan.

In other matters, the installation of the sprinkler system that had been slated to be completed in the Telstar Middle/High School complex before school starts next week, will not be finished until later in the fall. Murphy said all but the auditorium will be completed by Aug. 26, which is the first day of school for students.

Also, several professional positions have been filled.

Joshua Onorato, a former teacher at the Spurwink School in Portland, was hired as the new physical education teacher at Telstar Middle School.

Sarah Tardif, a former long-term substitute teacher at SAD 52 in Turner, was hired as the new, half-time art teacher at Telstar High School.

A former special education teacher who had resigned at the end of the last school year reapplied for the position. Cindy Savage will resume her duties as middle school special education teacher.

Michelle Cote, a former Mainer who has been teaching second grade in Vail, Colo., was hired as a kindergarten teacher at Crescent Park Elementary School.

Murphy said two positions remain unfilled. They are: a half-time instrumental music position and a half-time health coordinator. Both positions serve the entire district.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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