MEXICO — Vocational Region 9 director Brenda Gammon told the school board Wednesday night that she is concerned about the differences in the number of credits the sending high schools require, a shortage of staff at those schools and differing class schedules.

Smaller schools such as Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico, also must adhere to the same rules and regulations regarding full- and half-day vocational classes as much larger facilities, she said.

“I always tell new students who enroll in one of our programs that we are honored that they chose Region 9,” Gammon said.

Although enrollment at Region 9 has remained around 160 students each year, she said many classes would be much larger if all sending schools were on the same schedule and required the same number of credits to graduate.

“Our attendance is all in the scheduling,” she said.

The three sending high schools, Mountain Valley in Rumford, Dirigo in Dixfield and Telstar Regional in Bethel, use different grading techniques and have differing marking periods. 

“All these graduation requirements are significant, but they could be an impediment (for some students) to staying in school,” board Chairman Norman Clanton said. “Sometimes, (Region 9) is the only opportunity to keep students in school.”

Telstar requires 22 credits to graduate, including 6.5 in electives; Dirigo requires 24 credits, including 4.5 in electives; and Mountain Valley requires 24 credits, including 3.5 in electives.

In addition, if students want to enroll in band or other activities, that takes time away from pursuing a vocational skill.

Gammon said she plans to bring up the credit discrepancy among sending schools at next week’s regular meeting with the superintendents of RSU 10 and SAD 44.  She has already brought up those discrepancies to the principals and guidance counselors at each of the high schools.

She also said that a representative from the Maine Department of Education told her that vocational schools aren’t allowed to offer half-day programs for vocational students.

Currently, Region 9 offers a half-day program called “employability skills” for freshmen, giving them an idea of possible vocational careers.

Gammon said the state requires full-day programs, although she said some larger vocational schools, such as Oxford Hills Technical School in Paris, provide full- and half-day and single-course vocational offerings for their students.

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