BETHEL — Clark Rafford isn’t yet sure of the steps he’ll take to help improve student progress at Telstar Middle School, but he knows he wants more parental and community involvement.

Rafford, 57, is the school’s new principal.

“As the year progresses and I learn more, I’ll look for more opportunities for parents and community members in the school,” the retired military man from Aroostook County said. Originally from Ashland, he was principal of Hodgdon High School near Houlton.

This is not the first time he has worked in Western Maine.

He was an English teacher and softball coach at Dirigo High School in Dixfield from 1991-94. He has also served as principal, assistant principal or alternative education teacher in several other Maine communities.

“I’m leaving the County behind, but not the snow,” he said.

One of his hobbies is skiing. He and his wife, Deborah, are living in Newry so lots of skiing opportunities are available at nearby Sunday River.

Once he becomes more familiar with SAD 44, he wants to find successful methods for bringing up student standardized testing scores.

“Telstar Middle School has been on a roller coaster. We’ll look at deficiencies, then at best practices. We can’t be afraid of taking chances. It takes time to accommodate change,” he said. “We’re not where we want to be, especially in reading and math.”

Rafford has some ideas for getting parents involved in the community, something that he said could help bring test scores up and improve children’s education. He’s thinking parents or community members could help out in the office, read one-on-one with youngsters, help out at book fairs, or assist in harvesting the school’s vegetable garden.

Lots of opportunities exist, he said, such as chaperoning dances, helping out at the snack booth, and many others he hasn’t identified yet.

He’s hoping to get the school’s volunteer needs listed on its website so community members will know when the school needs help.

“Parents are involved with K-5 children, but it wanes after that,” he said. “It takes a lot of parents to help a school with 250 students and staff.”

Rafford earned an education degree from the University of Maine at Fort Kent and a master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautics in Florida.

He served 23 years in the military, with 14 of those on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, and nine in the Army National Guard.

He and his wife’s three sons are or have been involved in the military.

The oldest in on active duty in the U.S. Navy and has served in Iraq.

Another is a helicopter pilot in the Army National Guard and is preparing to go to Afghanistan. The third, a former Navy serviceman, was injured while serving in Iraq.

The couple has two grandsons and two granddogs.