PHILLIPS — RSU 58 administrators and teachers are preparing for the advent of proficiency-based graduation standards.

Math and reading tests and outcomes will be designed at the local levels, school directors learned at their Thursday meeting. Students traditionally have taken tests and received letter grades, but that standard is being phased out.

“Next year’s freshmen are going to have to graduate in four years with a proficiency-based diploma,” Superintendent Brenda Stevens said.

Teachers, instead of requiring a test grade, may design a series of tasks to have students demonstrate competency.

“It’s going to be a huge change for us,” Stevens said.

Mt. Abram High School Principal Marco Aliberti presented the board with suggestions for next year’s curriculum. Included on that list is Advanced Placement physics, and honors chemistry and English classes. Some electives have been replaced with these new courses.

Aliberti said a personal finance class and a computer programming class could be worked into the schedule. Still a debatable issue for the board is the use of teachers’ time spent supervising study halls. Past arguments in favor of the practice include the cost savings versus hiring a study hall monitor. Teachers have the opportunity to use the study hall for class preparation and allow students to ask for academic help.

“You’re asking teachers to do more with less time,” Aliberti said. “It’s quality versus quantity.”

The problem should be solved by the board, rather than by Aliberti, one director suggested.

“I ask this board if we can figure out a way to give the teachers back that time to teach a class instead of having them hold a study hall,” Kingfield director Beth Luce said.

Stevens suggested that with the state’s new proficiency-based standards, teachers will require planning time to adapt their subject matter to new requirements. The board agreed to pursue the subject at a future meeting.

Stevens announced the retirements of Sandra Schneipp, Mary Jane Martin and Scott Martin. She also announced the resignation of Strong director Marc Edwards.

Voters in Strong will have the opportunity to elect a write-in candidate at the polls Feb. 28.

RSU 58 directors also voted to begin the process of hiring a new superintendent. Stevens will retire at the end of the school year, and a new administrator will start July 1. A selection committee will review resumes and conduct interviews in March and April.

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