TURNER – Two administrative and three teaching positions were filled recently in SAD 52 at a board meeting at the Tripp School Library.

Scott Bell was approved as Tripp Middle School principal. He comes to the district from an assistant principal position at Hall-Dale High School. Prior to that he taught language arts and served as team leader for the eighth grade at Hall-Dale Middle School, and from 1997 to 2000, taught English at Leavitt Area High School.

He has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Maine and a master of science in educational leadership from the University of Southern Maine.

Allen Menard was appointed adult education director/affirmative action officer for the district. He has been director of adult education in Caribou the past 12 years, following a 21-year career in the U.S. Air Force.

Bethany Theberge was hired as special education teacher at Greene Central School. She recently earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UMO and is eligible for targeted need certification in special education.

For the past three years, she has worked part-time for alternative services as a residential specialist at the Greene Group Home and has substituted at GCS.

Jennifer Adams was hired for the grade-four position at Greene Central School. She graduated from UMO in 2004 with a bachelor’s in elementary education and a minor in music. She has most recently been a Title 1 ed tech at the Veazie Community School.

Rita Floyd will be a new math teacher at Leavitt Area High School. She taught math for 10 years, the last nine at Lisbon High School, and is completing her master’s degree in educational leadership at the University of Maine.

In another matter, parents of two district students were denied waivers from school policy. A Leeds couple was denied permission to have their child attend day care in Turner and then continue attending school in Turner. District policy states students will attend school in the community where they live.

A mother was denied a waiver for her child to play or practice field hockey this fall. District policy states that a student failing two classes in the fourth quarter will not be permitted to practice or play sports in the fall. The mother asked for an exception for her daughter due to a number of familial circumstances, and said that her daughter had just passed one of the courses in summer school. Board policy does not recognize summer school make-ups of failed regular school classes, and the request was denied.

The board did recognize the need to take a look at its policies in both situations. The Curriculum/Policy Committee will consider them and report to the next board meeting.