THS has new dean of students

BETHEL — The SAD 44 board has unanimously approved the nomination of Kristin Chambers Dacko as dean of students for Telstar Regional High School.

She succeeds Cheryl Lang, who was named last month as the high school principal.

“We feel very, very fortunate to have such a great candidate to bring before you,” Superintendent David Murphy told board members.

For the past seven years, Dacko has worked for SAD 17 in Paris, he said. “She has been a department head, and she has been a team leader. She has been involved in a lot of leadership activities. She is currently a science teacher, and has been active in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).”

Dacko was chosen from among 13 applicants.

“I am excited to join the SAD 44 community,” Dacko said. She told the School Board that she and her husband have lived in Bethel for the past six years and are committed to the area.

“I’ve been very fortunate over the last seven years to work for SAD 17, and they’ve given me plenty of opportunities to shine, so I’m excited to bring that here, and to work with Cheryl (Lang) again, as we did work together in the past,” she said.

Murphy said Dacko will be given a two-year contract with a salary of $51,078 in the first year. She will receive the same benefits as other district administrators, including full health insurance coverage for up to two adults. The salary for the second year of the contract will be negotiated after the first year.

Murphy said Dacko is still employed by SAD 17, which, under the terms of her contract, can hold her for up to 30 days.

“They will be working to see if they can release her earlier than that,” he said.

Other staff changes include former high school Dean of Students Charles Raymond, returning as alternative learning activities coordinator.

The board approved the nomination of Woodstock Elementary School grade-two teacher Sara Johnson to a second-year probationary contract for the 2015-16 school year.

Board members also approved the nominations of Tamara Douglas for Telstar Middle School special education teacher, Robert Dow for middle school science teacher and Kathleen Chiasson for Crescent Park School third-grade teacher.

Douglas, who is certified in special education, has been a long-term substitute at Regional School Unit 16 in Poland and has worked with special needs students at the Spurwink School.

Dow has 20 years of experience as a middle school science teacher and coach. Chiasson has been a long-term substitute at CPS.

The following were approved as curriculum leaders for the 2015-16 school year: grades K-5 math, Tanya Nicols and Jessica Wilkey; grades K-5 science, Tonya Prentice; grades 6-8 humanities, Lindsay Luetje; grades 6-8 math, Tammy Davis; grades 6-8 science, Kate Slattery; grades 9-12 English, Melissa Poston; grades 9-12 social studies, David Leclerc; grades 9-12 math, Susan Owens; and grades 9-12 science, Sarah Southam.

A math teacher position is vacant and there have been no candidates, Murphy said. If one is hired, they would be a long-term substitute, pending approval at the Sept. 14 board meeting.