DIXFIELD — Cultural changes and technology advances means schools need to work more closely with parents to assure that children graduate from high school and lead successful lives, school directors were told Monday.

The Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10 board learned about the many programs and staff who are working to improve academics and social behavior.

“We can’t improve student achievement without dealing with bullying,” Superintendent Tom Ward said. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to provide Internet safety for our kids.”

The district aims to develop programs to assure that no child falls behind academically and no child is subject to harassment, he said. The district has received millions of dollars in the past couple of years in federal grants to do just that.

Staff members are putting together procedures to catch a child who may be falling behind in their studies and provide help to bring them up to grade level. The program, called Response to Intervention, will be paid for through reimbursement from the state.

The behavior program is known as Positive Behavior Intervention Support. The district has received nearly $700,000 during the past two years to train teachers and develop behavior programs for students. The program began for the elementary grades this school year, will be expanded to middle school grades during the next school year, then to high school in 2011-12.

Other goals include using appropriate technology throughout the district, guiding students to become responsible for their learning plans, and expanding student learning through service learning projects. This is not community service, said curriculum coordinator Gloria Jenkins, but a program where students get out in the community and learn something new there.

“People have asked where the dropout prevention goal is,” Jenkins said. “It’s in every goal.”

Two of the district’s three high schools were below the state dropout average for school year 2008-09. Dirigo in Dixfield had a rate of 1.78 percent and Mountain Valley in Rumford 3.18 percent. Buckfield Junior-Senior High School came in above the state average at 5.64 percent.

Ward said when the three former school administrative districts which consolidated almost a year and a half ago used the slogan Becoming One.

The new slogan, Becoming One, the Journey Continues, reflects the belief that becoming one doesn’t happen overnight, he said.

Before the board meeting, a moment of silence was held to honor Pvt. Buddy McLain who was killed in action in Afghanistan on Nov. 29. The soldier’s funeral was held at Mountain Valley High School, where he graduated in 2006.

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