JAY — Regional School Unit 73 board of directors on Thursday, Sept. 12, approved hiring an advisor for a club at Spruce Mountain High School and a trip for seventh grade students at the middle school.

Regional School Unit 73 board of directors at the Sept. 12 meeting approved requests from staff at Spruce Mountain high and middle schools in Jay. The sign for the schools is seen Sept. 21.  Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

A request to hire an advisor for the Outdoor Club at Spruce Mountain High School was made by Marc Keller, athletic director. “Back in 2023 when I was here to talk about the Moose River canoe trip that we do annually it was mentioned that it would be neat if we could do something throughout the year, which is something I have wanted to do for a very long time,” he said. “Unfortunately with the role that I play I don’t have the time to do it.”

Keller thought it was important for whoever is the advisor be paid for their time. The advisor would be responsible for trips and activities in the outdoors, be connected with the Teens for Trails program, he said. “We have been in the past, join in a membership every year,” he noted. “It is to the point where a couple of years ago we won a lottery to do an outdoor skills weekend and there was no advisor there to be able to do it. I don’t want kids to miss out on these opportunities.”

With an advisor the club would host five to six trips a year including the Moose River trip, Keller noted. “It would be a paid stipend position similar to all the other activities,” he said. “It’s not in the budget but for the past seven years that I have been here we have had four track coaches in our athletic budget. The most we have had over the last four years is 23 students participating.”

Keller said four coaches was a bit of an overkill for that number of students, requested transferring one stipend from the track team to the advisor position. “We would ask the advisor either be Registered Maine Guide certified or go through the Trip Leader program, which I am an instructor for through the State of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It would be very simple for us to be able to get that individual certified.”

In order to take students on overnight trips or on the water, advisors by law must have certification from one of those programs, Keller said. He indicated he would be involved in the Moose River trip every summer.

Chair Bob Staples asked if a formula was used to set the stipend.

It would be the basic stipend that includes number of participants, number of hours per week, number of events throughout the year, Keller said. “As far as meetings and staff it would be one or two a quarter,” he noted. “Outside of that basically for planning purposes and possibly bringing in guest speakers or doing things right there at the school.”

When asked, Keller said the stipend transfer would cover the cost for the advisor.

“Would this person require a budget to bring in outside speakers,” Director Andrew Sylvester asked. He questioned if volunteers or an assistant would be needed to help supervise. He wasn’t sure how many students the advisor would be allowed to supervise.

“By state law you have to have one guide for every 12 participants for overnight or out on the water,” Keller responded. “For activities like that I would certainly help out. It may be that we would split the stipend between two people to be a better fit.”

Keller said a grant from Teens to Trails could be applied for. “We received a $500 grant from them,” he noted. “You can apply three times every five years. We would also be doing fundraisers.”

Most activities will not be expensive, a winter skills weekend to learn outdoor skills could be held on school grounds, Keller noted.

In other business, a 3-day 2-night trip to Camp Kieve and The Leadership School in Nobleboro for seventh graders at the middle school was approved. “This is something that, three years ago we started going to Camp Kieve,” Principal Kris Targett said. “The first year we went for a day trip, last year we ended up being able to spend one night and two days. This year we are going to have the opportunity to spend two nights and three days.”

“This is a really great opportunity for our kids to learn self-management, self-awareness, relationship skills, social awareness and responsible decision making,” he added.

“I know this has been so well received in the past,” Director Elaine Fitzgerald said. “It is such a great experience, helps with leadership, all of those self awareness skills.”

Students can’t use their cell phones, Targett noted. “There is no technology over there and they really build those interpersonal relationships that they need, those skills,” he stated.