RUMFORD – Mountain Valley High School students will have a new field for physical education classes and for practicing sports thanks to action taken by the board Monday night and contributions by the Rumford Water District and the Parks Department.

The board approved contracting with a local forester to remove trees and brush from the school’s parking lot to an adjacent area owned by the water district known as Scotty’s Field.

The contractor will take wood in payment for the work. The water district made the offer of the field’s use at an earlier board meeting.

Superintendent Jim Hodgkin said the field will likely be developed this fall. Once complete, the town’s Parks Department will maintain the field.

Students have had to be transported to Hosmer Field, or have used the school’s lawn, to practice football and other sports in the past.

In a related matter, the board also agreed to set up an ad hoc committee to study athletic and other school activity options and possible alternative ways to fund some sports teams and other groups.

Rumford representative Chris Brennick will chair the ad hoc committee. Other board members who volunteered are Rumford representatives Marcia Chaisson, Gloria Morton, Linda Westleigh, Jeff Sterling and Tracey Higley.

The committee will then decide on other members such as administrators and members of the public.

The formation of the committee is partially the result of attempts to eliminate several junior varsity sports teams as part of the district’s budget process.

Also on Monday, the board signed the warrant for an administrative merger with SAD 21, SAD 39 and the town of Hanover for the Nov. 4 election. Hodgkin said a vote to sign the warrant was not necessarily a vote in favor of the proposed merger.

Mexico representative Betty Barrett was the only board member to vote against signing the warrant.

“We can live alone here, and we’ll have control over our money.” she said, adding later, “I don’t think this is something we should get into.”

SAD 43 will hold a public hearing on the proposed merger at 6 p.m., Oct. 23, at the high school auditorium. The public hearings on the proposal by SAD 21 will be on Oct. 22, by SAD 39 on Oct. 21, and by the town of Hanover on Oct. 15.

Hodgkin seeks new assessment test

SAD 43 Superintendent Jim Hodgkin told the board Monday night that the Western Maine Superintendents Association is trying to get the schools in the western part of the state to become a pilot program for using a new student assessment test.

Right now, every district in the state uses the Maine Educational Assessment test for fourth- and eight-graders.

The superintendents’ group is proposing use of the Northwest Educational Assessment.

“We’re drafting a letter to the commissioner asking that an ad hoc committee be created to stop using the MEA,” said Hodgkin, who is the president of the group. “And for the western Maine schools to serve as a pilot.”

He said the test provides immediate feedback on student results, provides a chance for students to set goals, and is given in the autumn and spring.

“It’s a nationally known test, is user friendly and a true measure of students’ abilities,” he said.

Curriculum coordinator, Gloria Jenkins, said the test is very fine tuned, and is already used by Title I teachers in the district. Mountain Valley Middle School Principal Ryan Casey said the test fits in with the standards set by each state that uses it.