LIVERMORE — Directors of Spruce Mountain Regional School Unit 73 on Thursday approved the first reading of policy changes that would allow more students to attend summer school.

Changes include lowering the passing grade from 50 to 30 for eligibility, and removing the stipulation that students with 30 or more absences are not eligible. The policy is for students in kindergarten through grade eight.

While reviewing the last trimester grades to tally how many of the 350 students at Spruce Mountain Middle School in Jay were failing at least one class, Principal Carolyn Luce got through the first 162 and realized that wasn’t a feasible list.

“I went back and looked at students failing two or more classes, found 89 students,” she said. “That was a more manageable number to work with. Each community in the school has somewhere between 12 and 20 students failing two or more classes.”

There’s not a lot of hope for these kids to remediate their grades, she said when asking for the lower grade standard. Most of those failing average 30 for their classes, she noted.

“We’ve got kids at home trying to teach themselves,” Luce said. “The enormity of the need requires us to do something more.”

Flexibility on school absences was also requested.

“We have kids who aren’t tuning in on their remote days, are at school (for in-class learning),” Luce said. “Those absences can be a little misleading.”

At Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay, there were 57 students receiving two “Does Not Meet Standard” in two areas of their report cards, Principal Pat St. Clair said.

“Between tutoring and summer school, it’s realistic we could get these kids up to speed in the time frame we have,” he said.

There’s a chance some will catch themselves up, St. Clair said. A new program is allowing some students to attend school on remote days for tutoring, he told the board earlier.

“I’ve had conversations with the parents, kids know what’s on the table,” St. Clair said. “If I can get more kids in, as hard as I’ve seen those kids work, I could definitely see some get the help they need and catch up.

“I don’t want to hold these kids accountable for when they go home and don’t have the support they need,” he said. “I’d hate to hammer a kid who we know if they were in school five days, this wouldn’t be a topic of discussion.”

The district has a policy stating first and second readings for policy changes must be made no more than two weeks and not less than eight days apart.

“The only way to get around it is for an emergency waiver,” Director Michael Morrell said. “I’m hesitant to do that. I like the first and second reading to give time to read the language.”

Luce requested getting the policy done as soon as possible. There wasn’t time to reach out to all the families of those in danger of being retained in their current grade if the changes weren’t approved, she said.

Some directors spoke of their desire not to act on an item the first time it is presented to the board.

Others addressed the quick way it was being presented.

The policy committee did not discuss the issue at its meeting earlier this week because of a misunderstanding on what was being requested.

The middle school principal goes through the grades once they are completed following the second trimester, teacher Julie Taylor said. The placement committee reviews don’t usually begin until after April vacation, she said.

Going through the district’s first and second reading would allow administrators to begin the process for students who are meeting the guidelines, Director Lynn Ouellette suggested. Once the policy was amended, the remaining students could be considered, she said.

“I like your thinking,” Director Elaine Fitzgerald said.

The administrators agreed that would work.

Students from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls attend Spruce Mountain schools.

In other business, directors were reminded of the 6 p.m. April 15 meeting on the district’s budget proposal. Attendance will be via Zoom and the link will be available on the district’s website.

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