FARMINGTON — Over 31 years Glenn Kapiloff has worked his way up from an industrial arts teacher at Mt. Blue Middle School to director of the Franklin County Adult Basic Education Program.

In between, the Farmington man served 28 years in the U.S. National Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2008. And he spent the past 12 years as director of the Foster Career and Technical Education Center at Mt. Blue Campus in Farmington. He is also involved in community organizations and just finished a year as president of the Franklin County Area Chamber of Commerce.

The experience and knowledge he has gained along the way, together with the business and community connections he has made, and just knowing how the tech center operates, will help him in his new position, he said in October.

Kapiloff continues to be involved in the tech center by mentoring interim Director Melissa Williams and managing grants and budgeting for community outreach. He also continues to give business tours of the center.

“I feel I am a good fit because of the connections I have in the community and what I have done at the tech center,” he said.

Kapiloff credits staff at the adult education center and says they have helped him in his new position. He took over as director in August after longtime director Ray Therrien retired.

“Everyone here knows their job and they do it well. It makes it easier to learn my new position,” Kapiloff said.

Besides learning the services offered through the adult education program, he is getting a handle on a variety of funding and grant sources available. He hopes to offset the cost to taxpayers.

The program falls under the Mt. Blue School District, also known as Regional School Unit 9, and has branches in School Administrative District 58 in the Phillips/Salem Township area and RSU 78 in Rangeley.

The program provides a number of educational and enhancement opportunities for people, from learning a high school equivalency diploma or get training to retraining skills for the work force.

There is also a college transition course to help people reach their goal of going to college.

Services are available to help people improve their reading, writing and math, among other skills.

When space is available, courses can be taken through the Foster Career and Technology Center. People can also take college courses through the Community College network.

Those who want to learn how to play the ukelele or bridge, or learn to sew, belly dance or paint, can attend such classes this fall. There was even instruction on a do-it-yourself funeral, how to grow garlic and play volleyball.

To find out more about the adult and community education program go to rsd9.maineadulted.org or call 778-3460.

Kapiloff plans for the program include working more through the Work Force Innovation and Opportunity Act, ww.maine.gov/doe/adulted/wioa/wioa, and re-arranging the adult education program’s office to make it more user friendly.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net