RSU 10 board hires another teacher

BUCKFIELD — The Regional School Unit 10 board approved an additional third-grade teacher position for Meroby Elementary School on Monday night.

Directors also discussed the possibility of moving sixth-graders from Hartford-Sumner Elementary School in Sumner to Buckfield Junior-Senior High School.

The number of third-graders is now more than 50, necessitating a third teacher. The board hired Elizabeth Ledesma to fill a one-year position at Meroby school in Mexico.

Superintendent Craig King said the salary and benefits will come from frugal spending this school year.

The Sumner school has about 330 students, which is more than planned for the building. Buckfield Junior-Senior High School has 230 students in grades seven through 12.

“Is it time to move sixth-graders to Buckfield Junior-Senior High School?” King asked.

The matter will be more thoroughly discussed during the development of the 2016-17 budget.

Board member Jennifer LeDuc also questioned whether students in early kindergarten through grade two, and those in grades three, four and five should be assigned to Rumford and Meroby elementary schools, which serve early kindergarten through grade five.

King said he would be very supportive of keeping such grade levels together. That issue, too, will be discussed during the budget development sessions.

In other matters, the board accepted a donation from the Weld Public Library in memory of Gertrude Downs, a teacher and principal in RSU 10 for many years.

Directors appointed Jessica Sirois as head cheering coach for Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico, and Kristina Gailloux as a special education educational technician at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School.