FARMINGTON — The Mt. Blue Regional School District met Tuesday night to go over the recent referendum vote on the Mt. Blue High School and Foster Tech Center renovation project and discuss revisions of policies for the coming year.

The referendum passed last week by a vote of 765-243. 

“Now the heavy-duty work really begins on the project,” Superintendent Michael Cormier said, referring to the upcoming fundraising campaign.

The board also did an initial read-through of the school policies for the new year. One of these policies introduced a mandatory work-site healthy eating initiative, which will require caterers of faculty events to provide healthy options, and will make fitness and weight management options, such as Weight Watchers classes and weekly yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, or dance, available to school district employees.

Another policy revision that was introduced was an optional protection plan for student laptops. Parents would be able to buy into a risk pool by paying a certain fee (variable, according to whether their children qualify for free or reduced lunch prices). If any damage is sustained to their child’s laptop, it would be covered by this policy, whereas if the fee is not paid, parents would be billed.

Other computer-related policies included a draft of a parental permission form for schools to publish student pictures and information on schools’ and teachers’ Web sites. There was some debate on whether students in ninth grade and above should be able to sign the form as well, to make their consent or objection known; the board came to the conclusion that the students would not sign, but could make any objections known and it would be ensured that their information would not be published.

Other policies included employee Internet use, cell phone use, student education records and information, and evaluation procedures for the superintendent and assistant superintendent.

Susan Pratt, the assistant superintendent, gave a report on the status of flu shot clinics in the schools, which have been postponed due to an inadequate shipment of vaccines. The state received about 40 percent of the expected vaccines. Pratt said that the planning process for the clinics was “a tremendous community builder.”

Cormier added that when the proper shipment has been received, an H1N1 vaccine is also expected.

New business included a field trip request that Jobs for Maine
Graduates filed recently. Every year, a select few students from the
group take a trip to the Jobs for Maine Graduates Officer Leadership
Conference at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, where they spend a few days
developing leadership and team building skills that they can bring back
to their chapter and their community. The board approved their request
by a unanimous vote.

Cormier gave a report on the recent bomb threat at Mt. Blue High School; the threat itself is still under investigation.

The board was also notified that Marissa Millette has been
hired as a bus aide, and an ed tech has been hired as well.

Cormier said that Friday’s evacuation drill was a success. “I commend the faculty, students and administrators. They were cooperative, the students were well behaved, and no one was argumentative.”