BETHEL — Telstar Principal Mark Kenney gave directors an update on the China Trip/Summer Camp for visiting students at Monday’s School Board meeting.

Kenney said that 15 students will be coming from China to Bethel this summer. The students are arriving on Saturday, July 27 and will be here until Saturday, Aug 3.

Kenney said there’s still a need for host families for the students.

“We’re going to try and pair up the students to a minimum of two per household,” Kenney said.

Families will be reimbursed $200 for hosting students.

Kenney said the hope is to kick off the camp with a trip to a Sea Dogs game.

Telstar students will also have the opportunity in mid-October/early November to travel to Beijing to go to schools there, with the hope of continuing to build the partnership up.

“In order for us to feel like we can move forward with cementing that sister school relationship we have to make sure that this is a successful event,” Superintendent Dave Murphy said.

Anyone interested in hosting can contact the school office at 824-2136.

Other news

After an executive session, the board unanimously approved a new three-year contract with the Telstar Educators Association (TEA).

Murphy’s contract was extended through 2024, with a three percent increase for the following year only. Murphy said he plans to retire next June, but will come back for the duration of the contract at a reduced rate of 75 percent of his fiscal year 2020 salary.

The meeting was the final one for Bethel Director Lainey Cross. Cross had served on the board for 21 years.

“Lainey has done a great job on this board and it has been a pleasure to serve with you,” Murphy said. “You’ve served in a lot of different capacities during your time here and you will be missed.”

The meeting was also the last for Bob McQueeney (Woodstock), who was defeated in by Marcy Winslow 185-108 in last week’s vote for board director.

Murphy also thanked McQueeney for the “time and effort” he put into the position during his year on the board.

Crescent Park School Principal Elaine Ferland recently submitted her resignation, which will be effective at the end of June. Ferland served as a second and fourth grade teacher at Woodstock, as a teaching Principal in Andover, as an educator effectiveness coach and most recently as principal of CPS.

“She has done all of those with incredible success and it will be a loss to the district but I know wherever she goes she will continue to make a mark for herself,” Murphy said.