MEXICO — Interviews for the new position of fire science instructor will take place Monday at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology, director Brenda Gammon told the board Wednesday night.

The fire science program will be a new vocational program at the school beginning in September. A significant amount of community support helped bring the program to the school.

Gammon said six people, all from Maine, applied for the position. Four will be interviewed on Monday, and the successful candidate’s name will be submitted to the board at the July 6 meeting for approval.

So far, nearly a dozen young people have signed up for the new program which will provide instruction to meet Firefighter I status. More are expected to enroll prior to the start of the new school year on Sept. 1.

In a related matter, student services coordinator Cheryl Ellis said nearly 160 students from the three sending high schools have signed up for one of the vocational programs in the fall. That number is expected to reach 200 when school begins.

Sending the most for the coming school year is Dirigo High School with 65 so far, followed by Telstar Regional High School with nearly 60, and Mountain Valley High School just under 40.

Telstar has seen the largest growth of students choosing to attend one of the vocational programs at Region 9 during the past year or so.

Board Chairman Norman Clanton said he believes the increase in numbers from Telstar may be the result of the school’s principal, Dan Hart, who had once served as student services coordinator at Region 9, and word of mouth from former Region 9 students.

In other matters, Gammon updated the board on her efforts to have a section of Route 2 in front of the school designated as a school zone by the Maine Department of Transportation.

She said she has been trying to get the designation in place since she became director several years ago.

She said the speed should be reduced, signs erected, and perhaps a flashing light installed to operate during the first and last half hours of each school day.

The school is adjacent to or across from several businesses, the area’s transfer station, and a dump maintained by NewPage Corp.

“I’ve requested that something in writing be made to explain why this is not a school zone,” she said.

In addition to secondary students, dozens of preschoolers also attend the Region 9 school as part of the school’s early childhood program.

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