LIVERMORE FALLS — The RSU 73 board discussed or acted on several student-related issues last week, ranging from hiring a new guidance counselor to learning that Spruce Mountain High School has increased the number of graduates who go on to higher education.

The high school has been operating with just one permanent guidance counselor since the beginning of the school year. The second tendered his resignation just before classes began, leaving Sue Spalding as the only counselor. An interim counselor was hired two weeks ago, but on Thursday the board unanimously approved hiring Heather Tyler, a former resident of the Western Maine area.

She is currently the guidance counselor at Noble High School, where she has served for six years, Principal T.J. Plourde said. She is expected to begin her duties at SMHS by the first of the new year.

In the meantime, interim guidance counselor Elli Dule of Wilton will continue in the position.

Plourde also said that, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, from 2006 to 2012 the percentage of students from SMHS south who have gone on to higher education increased from 40 percent to 65 percent, and for SMHS north from 47 percent to 76 percent during the same time frame.

The two former districts, the Jay School Department and RSU 36, joined in 2011. The student bodies of both high schools merged at the beginning of this school year.

“The School Improvement Grant helped out with this,” Plourde said. “My goal is to get up to 95 percent accepted to a two- or four-year college.”

Superintendent Robert Wall said he has seen a rise in the number of students going on to college since consolidation.

Board Chairwoman Denise Rodzen said the district has had only two years in consolidation.

“We started before, for example with Aspire Higher. It’s not just because of consolidation,” she said.

Plourde said he’d like to see the percentage of students who graduate from college, to which board member Tim Madden added that he’d like to see how many find jobs.

In a related matter, in response to a question by board member Diane Gould Plourde said the high school will begin working on accreditation next year. In the meantime, the school has been grandfathered.

In other matters:

* Board member Jackie Knight requested that the high school band and sports teams participate in the Dec. 14 Christmas parade. She also wants to see one or more class floats. The annual event is sponsored by the Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce.

* Plourde said the Americorps participants at the high school are planning to launch an Academic Boosters Club.

* Adult Community Education Director Eileen Miazga said three classes will be offered at the Livermore Falls site from Central Maine Community College in January. They are psychology, English and critical thinking.

* The board agreed to readvertise for the position of Spruce Mountain Middle School junior varsity basketball coach.

The board also met in a closed session to review the superintendent’s goals for 2013-14. This is part of the annual evaluation for Wall, which is usually completed in December.

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