SALEM TOWNSHIP — The Regional School Unit 58 school board reviewed the post-audit status of the district budget and adjustments required in some of its cost centers Thursday night. 

The board reviewed the current budget, which was approved in June by voters in Kingfield, Strong, Phillips and Avon. Because the 2018-19 fiscal year salaries and benefits are based on the 2017-18 numbers of teachers and support staff and anticipated new hires, the budget has to be re-balanced throughout the year. 

Superintendent Susan Pratt said by phone Wednesday that the board approved the auditor’s recommendation to adjust the System Administration and School Administration lines to reflect changes since July 1, 2018. The board also approved readjusting the Transportation and Facilities budgets to reflect the actual amount of staff time spent in each category. Some district employees work both as bus drivers and custodians, and their pay comes from two separate cost centers. 

“They might spend more time driving a bus and less time working as custodians,” Pratt said.

The board recognized Hope Gould as the district’s Employee of the Month. Gould is a member of the Technology Department team, providing technical support for students and teachers. The department services district laptops, desktops and iPads, networking hardware and software, wireless equipment, firewalls, servers, the phone system, software and email programs.

The board approved hiring Jessi Campbell as the new Mt. Abram High School secretary, Kianna Thompson as an ed tech in the Phillips Elementary School and Linda Taylor as an ed tech at Kingfield Elementary School. Shannon Simmons will start in January as an English language arts teacher at Mt. Abram High School. 

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