001evening and welcome to the Scarboro Board of Education meeting. The date is Thursday, May 21st, 2026. Um would everyone please join me for the pledge of allegiance? Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, Ray, would you call the attendance, please? >> Yes. >> Miss Jacobs is absent. >> She's absent. >> Mr. Keller is absent. >> Uh, he's >> excused. >> Uh, Miss Lindstöm >> here. >> Miss Mau >> here. >> Mr. Rockenstein >> here. >> Miss Tarpenion >> here. >> Mr. Penny Huff >> here. >> Miss Ruskina is excused. >> Uh, she's excused. >> And Miss Clarrett >> here. >> All right. Thank you so much. Agenda item 2.4
002is the approval of the April 30th, 2026 workshop and business meeting minutes. So, if there are no objections, we will approve them as presented. Thank you. Agenda item 3.0 are adjustments. Um I do have one adjustment to the agenda. Um agenda item 5.2, the 2026 graduating student representative presentation. Um Abby is not with us tonight because she has a track meet and so we'll just move this um to the next meeting when she can be here to hear what we would us thanking her. >> All right. Are there any other adjustments? >> No. >> All right. Um, agenda item 4.0 is recognition. 4.1 is the staff spotlight award. Jillian, is this for you and Cressy? >> Yes. All right. All right. So, we are so excited to announce uh the May Spotlight Award winner and
003she is here with us tonight. I There she is. All right. Go ahead. If you want to Can you Jory Casper? Jory was nominated by Christopher Rowley and um that there was a lot of really great uh feedback from about uh the service that um we got from Mr. rally. Uh I he said, "I see Jory as someone in our school who initiates everything that happens. The everyday behind the scenes tasks that need to be happen for each day to run smoothly, she's involved. All the fun things that happen for our staff and students that is extra work on top of her daily responsibilities, she has something to do with it. She does all of this with a personality and a sense of humor that I find enjoyable. Jory's contributions make a meaningful impact every
004day and it's clear that those around her feel fortunate to work alongside her. Thank you, Jory, for all the support uh for both the students and the program. Your hard work and commitment truly stand out. And then we have a video to play. Hi everybody. I am here to share why I have nominated Jory Casper as our Scarboro staff spotlight of the month. And it's not just this month. She's great. She's great all the time. There isn't a question I don't think Jory doesn't know the answer to. I go for I go to her for a ton of help. And if she doesn't know the answer to questions, she always points me in the right direction. She may work in the front office, but she has a role in it seems like she has a
005role in everything going on at Scar Bro Middle School. beyond how much she does for the school and for the staff and for the students. I appreciate Jory for being consistently herself. She's easy to talk to. She's fun. She goes above and beyond when she's uh by organizing activities for the staff to participate in little extra fun little Super Bowl activities. Hide the Grinch during the holiday season gets pretty intense with us. Uh, but thank you, Jory, for everything you do and I hope that you appreciate this recognition that you well deserve. >> All right. And Kathy's going to come up and say something as well. >> Yeah. Thank you. I will say I don't know what I'd do without Jory's support. um in the morning. Jory's there at 7:00 in the morning to help
006me with our coverage for the day. So, we are, you know, problem solving, figuring it out. If anything comes up in the day with that, Jory's on it. Um she also is on my lunch duty with me, but is always willing to help out during those lunches and help um you know, monitor and with our movement breaks. And as Chris mentioned, all of the um culture she builds with, you know, what was it? The potluck that you helped organize that we had for a lunch and um you're like one of my right-hand people. So, thank you. >> Would you would you mind coming up for a minute? Thank you. Congratulations. All right. Agenda it oh um agenda item 5.0 is presentations. 5.1 is the 20 26 Scarboro public school retirees. So for this I'll turn
007it over to Diane and Frea's going to help this year. >> Great. Excellent. Um so good evening everyone. We're really excited to honor um the class of 2026 retirees this evening. We also happened to have um our annual event for all staff yesterday afternoon. So, I think we're a little light on some of our retirees because perhaps they had so much fun yesterday afternoon. Um uh but in any event, um we're really excited to take some time this evening to honor the commitment um that the the many um people who are listed on um this slide uh for the efforts that they've made at Scar Bro Public Schools over the years. And so what we would like to do is I'm going to invite some of our leaders up um to just talk briefly about
008each of the people and um I will ask Chris Rodie to kick things off for us. So Chris is going to start us off um by recognizing Laurel Aubrey um who has uh been with Scar Bro Public Schools for 38 years. >> All right. So Laurel couldn't uh join us tonight. Um but yeah, Laurel's been with us for 38 years. Um she started off as a resource room teacher at Wentworth and did that for about nine or 10 years and then moved into her current role which is a psychological examiner and um Laura earned her BS in special ed and elementary education from uh UI and Farmington and then later on her masters in school psychology from USM. Uh so I asked the testing office to share some thoughts about Laurel. Um, I've spent a
009lot of time with her over the years as well. Fantastic person and just a great great uh examiner who really cared about kids. So, here's some some of the thoughts that uh her colleagues uh wanted me to share with you tonight. Um, so Laurel made a lasting impact on kids, families, and colleagues. She was a skilled school psychologist, dependable co-worker, and uh for those of you who knew her, obviously always someone who brought warmth, kindness, and a steadiness to every situation. uh she really cared about every student that she worked with and that was a lot of kids over the years for sure. Uh and that care came through in the way that she really thoughtfully listened and communicated and and supported families. Um one of Laurel's greatest strengths was certainly her empathy. Um she
010had a great ability uh to help families feel heard and understood often during difficult or emotional conversations and especially during IEP meetings which often can be uh intimidating I think for some parents. Right. and she just did a great job of every making sure everybody felt welcome and really took the time to thoughtfully explain the work that she did with their kids. Uh her colleagues in the testing office have often joked that Laurel is the moral compass of the office. Uh so in challenging situations, she helps others pause, think carefully, and stay focused on what is best for kids and does this with wisdom, compassion, and with a wonderful sense of humor. So, we're all uh grateful to Laurel for a time here in Scarboro and the chance to have worked with her and gotten
011to know her. And Laurel's looking forward to spending some more time with her family and traveling in retirement. >> Great. >> Next on the list of recognition is Beth Arseno from the middle school. And again, I'll have um Chris uh speak about Beth who has been with us for 18 years. >> Okay. Uh so Beth also couldn't be here tonight. Um but Beth began working with us as a substitute teacher back in uh 2005 and then uh transitioned to her role as an edtech 3 um at the middle school. And Beth uh specialized in math instruction for kids in the resource room. Uh Beth earned a BS in child development and family relations from UNI oro and an associates degree in business administration from Thomas College. Uh, and Beth was really always been just an
012incredibly dedicated member of our middle school team. Um, she is someone who always brought a deep commitment to her work each day. Uh, and was focused on helping kids truly understand the math concepts that she was teaching. Um, she didn't just simply support learning. She took the time to create resources and materials to make the material more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for the kids that she worked with. So Beth was really someone who went uh above and beyond every day. Um and when again I asked colleagues about Beth, one of the things they pointed out was um how much she genuinely cares about her students. Um not just as learners but people. She took an interest in their lives both inside and outside of school and uh really built a lot of lasting and meaningful
013relationship um with the kids that she worked with. And um uh Beth was always willing to jump in, help out with whatever's needed. And um a couple of people mentioned that kids continue to reach out to her even after they left the middle school, right? Which is a sign of the impact that she had with them. So in retirement, Beth is looking forward to enjoying the things she likes the most, the sun, the beach, travel, and especially spending time with her grandchild. So uh she'll certainly be missed, but we're excited for her as she moves into retirement. And then one more for you, Chris. Sherry Bell, who is with us this evening, um who is retiring with 26 years of service. >> All right, Sherry Bell, the legend. [laughter] Sherry uh started off with us
014working in food service and did that for close to 17, 18, 19 years. Sherry, about that long, I think. Right. and then uh made the switch to work in the best department in Scar Bro schools which is the special education department and uh Sher has worked with us as an edtech uh since that time. Uh she started off as an edtech 2 and is currently an edtech 3 in our academic life skills program. So um Sherry, one thing to know about Sherry definitely the definition of a true lifelong learner. So during her time working with us in Scarboro, while working full-time, Sher earned her associates degree, then her bachelor's degree, and then went on to earn her master's degree in special education. And that is a pretty impressive accomplishment, right, for someone who's been working
015full-time with a family and all that. And I think that just shows how dedicated uh Sher, you were to the work, you know, all along with the kids. So um I also of course asked uh Sherry's colleagues at Wemworth to share some thoughts about um her work and um some of the things that people shared with me is Sherry is wonderful with children creates a supportive and encouraging environment where students feel valued safe valued safe and inspired to succeed. Uh her patience, warmth and genuine care for others have made her an incredible asset um to the district. She goes above and beyond in everything she does. uh has an unmatched work ethic and a deep commitment to helping students and colleagues thrive. And beyond her professional contribution, Sherry is simply a great human being, thoughtful,
016dependable, and someone who brings positivity wherever she goes. Uh we're all going to miss Sherry a lot, but we're excited for her to enjoy the next chapter of her life with her growing family. And we thank you for your many years of service in Scarbo School. So Sherry Bell Excellent. And next up um is Principal Jillian Dagel uh to recognize Beth Conishian who has uh been with Scribal Public Schools for 18 years. >> Yes, I'm here to talk about Beth. She's not here tonight, but Beth started as a building edtech and now works currently as an academic support edtech in our building. Beth has had all three of her sons come to Bluepoint School, so we were really excited when she moved from Wentworth over to our school as a building edtech. We have relied
017on her to fill many different roles from day-to-day prior to her becoming the academic support edtech a few years ago. Beth has helped support numerous children over the course of her career, helping making them up their academic milestones in both reading and math and reaching benchmarks that were once thought unattainable. She has a calm demeanor and her consistent composure has made her an extremely reliable asset to our school. The kids lovingly call her a Miss C, and no one can manage a lunchroom quite like she can. She will certainly be missed by staff and students alike. Beth's retirement plans include spending time with her adorable granddaughter, her three sons, as well as her parents, who have recently moved back to Maine. Beth also enjoys being outside hiking, biking, and going to the beach, gardening, and
018reading. And now she'll be able to spin and work out whatever time she likes. We will miss her very much. All right. Next on our list is our adult education director, Maryanne Doyle, uh who is retiring after six years of service um in Scar Bro. And um Rey is going to speak about Maryanne. >> Yes, I've had the privilege to work with Maryanne the last two years. She's not here tonight. She's at work. [laughter] Um, Maryanne has done an amazing job of adding enrichment classes for our adult learners. Um, but she her biggest impact is she's done a great job adjusting her program to fill the needs of the community where she drastically expanded our programs for our English language learners and our entry level healthcare uh programs. And then as those students learned more,
019she then expanded the programs more to further meet their needs as they were progressing through. Uh so that's really I the legacy that sticks with me the most of how she expanded that for us here in Scar Bro. Moving forward, she is looking forward to spending time with her family, her her including her grandchildren, traveling and hoping to get her boat in the water a little more often. Next up, we have Principal Kelly Crosby uh to speak about Cindy Fulo, who's with us this evening um who uh retired after 27 years of service at Scar Bro. It is my honor to talk about Cindy. For 27 years, Mrs. Visulo has been warmly regarded by the Wentworth school community as nurse Cindy. Mrs. Visulo has been a licensed practical nurse since 1980. She earned that certification
020at Southern Maine Community College and she worked at Maine Medical Center for almost 20 years before becoming a school nurse in the Scarbor public schools. Though she has covered and supported the clinics at I think all of the phase levels we've determined um the Wentworth clinic has been her home base since she began in 1999. Throughout her years in our school community, she's been a steady and compassionate presence in the clinic, offering care, comfort, and reassurance to every student and adults who walk through her door. Whether tending to the everyday needs, bumps and bruises on the playground, or responding in moments of urgency, she brought both expertise and kindness to every single interaction. Beyond the walls of her clinic, her impact is reached far and wide. As a dedicated liaison to a local charitable organization,
021she worked tirelessly to connect families with essential services and resources and support. Her advocacy ensured countless students and families received the care and assistance they needed, often in ways that extended far beyond the school day. I can't tell you how many times she just I'll just run to Target real quick and pick up those clothes that they need. Like just the dedication is beyond measure. Her legacy is one of quiet strength, unwavering commitment, and heartfelt service. She's made our school healthier, more caring, and a more connected place for all. We're deeply grateful for her years of dedication and wish her all the best in this well-earned next chapter which she is already currently enjoying with friends and family and especially and her husband and especially her grandchildren up to camp. So congratulations Cindy. Super happy
022for you. >> All right. Yeah, go right ahead. So, next up is um Kathy Tero and Kathy is going to speak about some of our retirees at the middle school, beginning with Brooks Neil, who is with us. I was so excited that Brooks came. Um so, Brooks began her teaching career at Scarbo Middle School in the fall of 2000. Prior to joining SMS, Brooks had a variety of work experiences, including ski retail. During her time at SMS, she has taught seventh and eighth grade ELA and social studies. Brooks has a love of learning and trying out new things, two characteristics she has instilled in the hundreds of students who have been in her classroom over the years. Dedicated is the word that immediately comes to mind for those who have worked alongside Brooks. And I
023was fortunate enough to work on a team with Brooks. It was quite a few years ago though. Um, one colleague shares that she is one of the most dedicated teachers I have ever worked with. We constantly used to remind her that she cannot work harder than her students because she was so determined that they would all be successful at any cost. These sentiments are echoed by another colleague who states that to me she is that teacher you always hope to be remembered as. She is selfless, dedicated, and tremendously impactful. She truly believes that everyone can learn and goes above and beyond for this to happen. In addition to teaching, Brook's other passion is being outdoors. She enjoys skiing, sailing, running, walking, hiking, and gardening. She is looking forward to being able to spend more time
024with these activities in retirement. In addition to traveling to someplace cool and helping out her family, true to form, Brooks also plans to continue to learn new skills and give back to her community through volunteering. Congratulations, Brooks, and enjoy your retirement. Okay. And Donna and Scott could not make it here tonight. Um, Donna Biola joined Scar Bro Middle School in 2002 after completing the EEP program. In 2004, she earned her mers from USM. During her time at SMS, she has taught seventh grade ELA and social studies and sixth grade math and social studies. Donna's colleagues share that she was the teacher that every colleague wanted on their team. Teachers and students alike could always count on her to lend a listening ear and provide advice with the perfect balance of humor and wisdom. Donna pushed
025students out of their comfort zone in a positive way, encouraging them to try new things, work hard, and share their ideas with others. She modeled this disposition herself. No matter the grade level or subject, she b brought enthusiasm and dedication. She was always looking to learn new things and try new ways of teaching. Outside of school, Donna enjoys pickle ball, working out, traveling, and spending time with her children and her family and grandchildren. Congratulations, Donna, and enjoy your retirement. Scott Weimoth. He joined Scarbo Middle School in 2001. When he joined SMS, he had 12 years prior experience teaching in SAD60 and SAD6. During his time at SMS, Scott has taught all subjects, but primarily math and science to sixth and seventh graders. He also guided countless students through the challenges of middle school math while
026at the same time instilling val valuable lessons. Um Scott has made an impact on students beyond the classroom. He's also for 10 years taught our seventh grade basketball team. Scott's colleagues share that in his classroom he held vigor rigorous standards yet never lost sight of the individual learner. His classroom was a place where structure and high expectations were a given, but never at the expense of connection. In fact, he mastered something many strive for, but few truly achieve, the ability to be both firm and genuinely engaging. Outside of school, Scott enjoys playing golf with his buddies, cooking on the grill, and spending time with his family. In retirement, he shares that he'll play a little more golf, travel, and probably get a part-time job. His wife may not want him hanging around the house all
027day. [laughter] Congratulations, Scott, and enjoy your retirement. Great. Next up is Principal Nate Tero from the high school and he's going to kick us off with um some conversation about Steve Banks who's retiring with 25 years of service. >> Uh Mr. Banks wasn't able to be here tonight um but I'm happy to recognize him. Um so Steve Banks uh joined the high school in 2001 um and had served there uh for 25 years um as a math teacher. Um, Mr. Banks was um, instrumental in the launching of our accounting and personal finance programs in the early 2000s, which is something he cited as one of his um, proudest accomplishments. Um, and he also has been working for a number of years as an adjunct professor at SMCC and he said one of his great joys
028is when he runs into um, Scarbor High School graduates there and helps them move them a little bit further along in their educational journey. Um he is planning on spending a ton of time at camp um and also traveling in retirement. >> Next up is John McHugh with 17 years of service. >> Um so John McHugh started at the high school in 2009. um first as a business and computer applications teacher primarily um and then shifting into in over the last couple of years a um tech coach role. Um he um he cited he will miss the colleagues and relationships. If you know John, he's a pretty quiet guy. Um but he forms deep connections with people that he comes across. Um and he was he I think there was a lot of things when
029I talked to him. I said, "What are you going to miss? What are your proudest accomplishments?" and after a long pause, he said, "I think I'm going to miss my colleagues." Which I'm guessing is why he was at yesterday's ceremony and not here today. Um, but at any rate, um, he is also looking forward to spending a lot of time at camp. Um, spending some time with some new grandchildren and, uh, traveling as well. >> David O' Conor with 32 years of service. So, David Okconor started um at Scarbor High School in 1994. Um he has held many different roles and titles. Um he's uh has taught out of the science department. He has um taught out of the math department. He's been department chair in both of those departments. Um his fingerprints are everywhere
030at Scarbor High School. He's a very quiet, humble man. Um but he is extremely influential um at Scarbor High School. Um when I asked David, I said, 'What's your most memorable accomplishment? He too thought for a moment. Um and I think uh he said, "You know what? I'm not going to say anything." So I went off, I talked to a few people. I think one of the things that comes comes across clear when you think about David. Um and I think it's it's evident in the conversations when you that you have with others about him, um is that he consistently sets a high bar for himself. Um and he sets that same high bar for his kids um and for his colleagues as well. Um I know I for one will miss his counsel and
031his wisdom. Um he would always give it to you straight. If you had a question or you were struggling with a decision um you could ask David and David would tell you exactly what he thought and usually he was right. Um I think um yeah he I think uh he's going to be missed. He's going to be missed. I'll say that. Um he's really looking forward to uh fly fishing and golf. Um I think he's retiring a little bit before some of the other members of the family. So he's looking forward to some solitude fly fishing and some golf. >> Also from the high school, Rich Wesley, who is retiring after 11 years of service in Scar Bro. >> So Mr. Wesley couldn't be here tonight. Um but yes, he has been at Scarbor High
032School for 11 years. He started in 2015. Um he has been an English teacher for all of those years. Um I think Mr. Wesley has left his lasting legacy um in addition to promoting um you know his love of literature in the classroom. Um he's also been firmly committed um to promotion of arts and theater in Scar Bro. Um he has been instrumental in the success of the Shakespeare in the Park program. Um and at the high school, I know we will miss his annual call um to go to Shakespeare or to partake in Shakespeare. Um he has this famous call on the intercom uh lasts about two weeks. It goes Shakespeare in the park. Um he is looking forward to um tons of travel um in his retirement. I know he's very excited to
033uh to get around the world and I think is looking to start that um as soon as this summer. And isn't Shakespeare in the park on Saturday? >> It's coming right up. >> They just went down to the middle school, I think, to do a little bit of a little number with um I think the seventh graders or eighth graders are Yeah. reading Midsummer Night's Dream, I believe, which is a production this year. >> And then um wrapping up the high school, um David Yo, who um is retiring with 10 years of service. >> So Mr. IO is here tonight. Um, and like Diane said, uh, he has been here for been in Scar Bro for 10 years. Um, been an educator for, um, over 40 years. Um, his start date in Scar Bro was
034in 2016. He has served, um, during his time in Scar Bro as the safety and attendance officer at the high school. Um, he meets students every morning who are late to school. Um, which sounds like an interesting line of work. Um there's a lot of thorny conversations you can have. Um but Mr. Do Mr. Yod does a wonderful job, I think, of greeting students who may or may not have broken a rule. Um maybe issuing a detention or two um but then sending them on their way and still making sure they have a good day when they come in the school. Um he's a fixture in the cafeteria, the halls. Um he was once called the most intimidating administrator at Scar Bro, even though he is neither intimidating nor an administrator. Um but that's uh
035that's the perception of Mr. But I think the kids I think the kids that get to know him um really understand that he's a man who cares deeply about them and their well-being. Um and he's he's a great conversation. Um when I asked Dave about what his most memorable accomplishments um or moments were in the district, um took him a few minutes, but he thought about it and said, "I think helping the school and helping the school community get through COVID." um our admin support team at the high school was really instrumental in making sure that um we made the best of that experience and that um you know he was one of the folks laying down street signs and the hallways and one-way roads and you know double lining the halls, yellow lining the
036halls so that everybody knew where you could park and all that stuff. Um but I think that those two years um as all of us know were incredibly challenging and we would not have survived that school without um the support from Mr. Mr. Yo and other members of our admin support team um for his retirement plans. We talked about this the other day. Mr. Yo, um Dave says, "I've been living the dream since I started in Scar Bro and retirement will be no different. [laughter] And rounding us up for this evening will be Kate Bolton." Uh, and Kate's gonna start off by talking about uh Joe Wright uh from the middle school who uh was with us for 19 years. Yeah, I'm glad you said Joe because I looked at it and said if we
037call him Joseph, he's going to think he's in trouble. Uh Joe Wright, um I've had the pleasure of knowing Joe Wright for all of those 19 years. He's retired from his kitchen manager position at the middle school. Uh Joe came to us in school nutrition in 2007 with a great resume. He was both a kitchen manager at a senior living facility and the owner chef of a seasonal restaurant on Peaks Island where he currently lives and has forever. Right from the start, we knew he was a great catch. He was hired as a cook at the high school, but his management skills soon led him to a supervisory position in that kitchen. and then in 2016 to his position as kitchen manager at the middle school. As a former Coast Guard officer, Joe was totally
038at home at a on a boat, which was a good thing because he took the ferry daily for 19 years in all kinds of weather just to hang out with us. Joe was the eye of the hurricane in the kitchen. He was calm and quiet and kind and competent and he had a great sense of humor. He was a steady, consistent presence in an often chaotic environment. And he inspired fierce loyalty in his crew. His passion for both the quality of the food they produced and the happiness of his customers never wavered. My personal relationship with Joe was centered on our shared love of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Everybody, a band from New Jersey, the Jersey Shore. We had both followed from our teenage years. Um, it's like Springsteen but without the name
039recognition. Uh, and and that was that was Joe's superpower. He could make a connection with anyone. he could find that little thing that you shared and make you a friend. Uh Joe's retirement plans. Well, Joe actually retired back in January due to health reasons. Um so he's not here with us this evening, but we really hope that he's taking it easy. He's chilling on the island. He's playing rock and roll as loud as he wants to and he's enjoying some muchdeserved downtime. And finally, certainly last but not least, uh, Bill Penley, uh, who is retiring with 13 years of service to Scar Bro. Yeah, there's Bill. Um, I'm I'm gonna have a hard time with this one. Um, Bill is retiring for the second time. He's given us the the joy of his um his
040presence after already retiring once and uh we've been so lucky. When Bill arrived in the district in 2013, the position he holds in our district was brand new. Our department had just been approved for a part-time bookkeeper position to help manage the student activity accounts, which are the bank accounts that are kept at each school for sports and clubs and boosters and class activities. I had already met Bill as the husband of the legendary Patty Penley, uh, a longtime Bluepoint teacher who was in this room just a few years ago listening to her own retiree speech. Bill had taken early retirement from the US Postal Service, but anyone who knows Bill also knows that he is not a sit-around kind of guy. He applied for this new position and set about inventing the protocols and
041procedures and oversight that have kept us in good standing with our auditors ever since. Bill is a sociable guy. His approach to work is super organized and detail oriented, but he never misses the personal touch. He's always friendly, outgoing, and cheerful. Bill likes to get things right, and he runs a tight ship, but always with the goal of creating the best possible outcomes for the district and our students. If I had a nickel for every time Bill scoured the town for a higher interest rate, [laughter] harassing bank managers for another half a percentage point, I would have been able to buy him a bigger retirement gift. [laughter] Over the years, Bill's colleagues have been privileged to share regular updates on his amazing grandkids and the progress of renovations to his dream house on the lake.
042His connections in Scar Bro are everywhere, not just through his work for the school department, but as a parent of three Scarboro grads and as an election official since 2012. I think he retired from that, too. Um, as far as retirement plans are concerned, I would love to be able to say that Bill will spend his second retirement just sitting on his new dock with a fishing pole. But I've already heard about a long list of chores and projects [laughter] that he intends to complete. Not to mention his gracious offer to be available for questions we may have as we learn to live without him. We really hope that he remembers to take some time for himself to hunt and fish and build memories with his family up to camp. Thank you, Bill, and congratulations.
043And before we move on, um just all told, um the folks that you've just heard us speaking about represent 334 years of service to the district. And so, you know, again, you hear me say this really often. Um we are really fortunate to be able to retain uh the staff that we have. Um, and so thank you to all of you for your service to the community. >> Thank you. Are there any any comments? >> Right. Congratulations. Um, this is an interesting year. I have my election warden when I was first elected as a school board member six years ago. Um, one of my most favorite memories involves you when you were calling the numbers and I had my husband on speaker phone so that he could hear. was home with my son and um
044when you announced my number and it was clear that I had won, he screamed really loudly and you stopped mid-sentence and looked around to see who was screaming and it was my husband from the phone. [laughter] So, I have that and then I have three of my son's teachers retiring this year and it's kind of um it's a it's an interesting bittersweet time, right? Like as time marches on very quickly and the amount of years that we have and the amount of experience we have in this room is really really profound. So, thank you for all of you do. Thank you for showing up every day and I hope you enjoy your retirement so very much. All right, we will continue on. Agenda item 6.0 is general public comment. Is there anyone wishing to make
045general public comment this evening? Is there anyone online? So, nobody no attendees. >> All right. Are you making your way to make public comment? Okay. All right. So, if you um uh uh each citizen is limited to three minutes for public comment, the lights on the front of the box will guide you. Uh I think the yellow light means you have about 30 seconds left or 15 seconds and then the red means your time is up. Um please direct your comments to me and um if you could just state your name and then we'll get started. >> Sure. Um, my name is Michelle Ceer and I am a special education teacher with Scar Bro Schools and an SEA representative. I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak to speak tonight. I appreciate all
046the hard work from both the school board and the town council to increase the budget proposal from its original number. As a special educator of almost 30 years, I truly love my job and I'm honored to work alongside an incredible team of educators, education technicians, and support staff in our schools every day. The dedication, compassion, and resilience I see from my colleagues is remarkable. Our students are the reason we show up to work every day. It is because we care so deeply that I share some concerns. I cannot stress enough the importance of proper staffing and training. Education technicians are on the front line of everyday supporting students with academic needs, behavioral challenges, emotional regulation difficulties, communication barriers, and disabilities that require individualized care, patience, and consistency. They build relationships, deescalate crises, and help students
047succeed in environments that are often unpredictable and demanding. These same colleagues along with myself and other teachers have been injured while trying to support students during behavioral incidents. Staff members have been hit, punched, kicked, bitten, scratched, spit on, exposed to daily bodily fluids, and hurt while simply doing their jobs and helping students safely navigate difficult moments. Regardless of this, these staff members continue to show up for their students because they love the job and they want to see their students succeed. I think that was evident last night at town council when you, Miss Lindstöm, spoke to special education being third out of 11 in the surrounding districts. However, this is not sustainable. This I also want to be clear about is not about blaming students. The children we love to work with need support, services,
048structure, and compassion. But compassion without resources is not a plan. Educational technicians need meaningful training in deescalation, behavioral intervention, crisis response, and trauma-informed practices. But effective training requires time, staffing, and funding. Schools cannot provide adequate preparation if departments are understaffed, employees are stretched thin, and substitutes are unavailable to cover assignments. From what I have witnessed in our schools, staff are already being asked to do more with fewer resources and less support. We cannot continue to ask staff to absorb the physical and emotional impact of these incidents while expecting safer outcomes without proper investment and support. If we truly value that education and safety must be a priority, too often education technicians are placed into challenging situations without adequate preparation or support, which leads to high turnover rates. We need proper staffing levels so employees are
049not isolated during incidents. Ongoing professional development that prepares staff for increasingly complex student needs and systems that protect both students and employees while preserving every child's right to learn in a safe environment. These systems lead to retention of employees, consistency and cohesiveness of staff and better support for our students and families. These issues affect everyone. The students with behavioral needs who deserve proper support, the students whose education is interrupted day after day. the parents who deserve a dedicated and consistent staff member to communicate with in regard to their own students needs, the education technician injured while trying to help a student, and teachers trying to maintain a classroom during repeated disruptions. As someone who deeply values this work and the people doing it, I'm asking you to recognize the seriousness of what staff and students
050are facing every day and to reconsider priorities so that safety, training, staffing, and student student support are treated as necessities and not optional expenses. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, members of the board. My name is Crystal Ash Cth Cuthbird. I've taught here in Scarboro for more than 23 years. I'm also proud to serve as the Scar Bro Education President for several years now. My colleagues across the district have been sharing challenges that they face with increasing number of students with significant dysregulation and behavior issues. These educators believe that every child can learn and grow. They know what all students sorry they know that all students can be successful in the right environment with the right support. Recently, the association held a meeting at Eight Corners to gather
051information and offer support to our colleagues. I'd like to share with you some of the statements they made when asked what their thoughts were about special ed here in Scarboro. This these are some comments they made. Every year the students needs are greater and greater but there are not enough staff to meet their needs. Different administrator different answer. Several high need students are clustered into one classroom as a group. They are often they often derail the learning of their regular ed peers. We'll try to get that into the budget next year is heard every single year. Overwhelmed, underprepared, disheartened, and confused. We're always short staff and scrambling to cover the needs of our students. I'm so frustrated with administration. It feels like our experience and expertise is not taken seriously nor taken into consideration. I
052was placed in a social life skills class with no training whatsoever. A student bit me on the first day. We're not meeting our students needs. When those same colleagues were asked for ideas and changes that would make working with and in special education better for both staff and students, they suggested the following. Better and more consistent training, actually any training before being thrown into a classroom, not on the not on the fly. Improve kindergarten screening and or make class placements more equitable according to needs. Specialled staff should use curriculum meetings for training. More training in the first few days of school, less pep rally. Actually have special education meetings, not just put them on the calendar and cancel them. And finally, increase edtech pay. The individuals that attended this meeting are exceptionally talented educators who
053I admire very much. They're dedicated to their students, but they are burning out. The way special education is done here in Scarough is causing mental and physical harm to staff and many students that the decisions that are being made need the input and support of professionals that are implementing the decisions. We ask the board to support its educators making a district-wide goal to improve the implementation and appropriateness of special ed, not only for the students who receive it, but for all of our students and staff. Thank you for your listening and your anticipated consideration. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to make general public comment this evening? >> All right. Hearing none, we will move on to agenda item 7.0, which is new business. 7.1 um just make sure. Okay. 7.1 is the
054first reading of policy CF, School Building Administration. Kayla, sorry. I got you off guard. All right. So, this is um the first reading of CF, the school building administration. Um this is the about sort of how the superintendent and I'm sorry, the building principal um administers day-to-day uh work at the school. I'm talking about the responsibility. with a purpose um and responsibility plan of supervisors. It gives it conveys authority for principles to suspend students for maximum of 10 days which is statutory and then outlines um one through nine duties and responsibilities of the principal. Um this policy had last been updated in 2015 so it was time to look at it again. But other than that it's for your consideration today and I'm happy to take any questions. All right. Do I have a motion
055to approve the first reading on policy CF school building administration as approve as presented? >> So moved. [laughter] >> I know without our normal it's hard. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Is there any discussion? All in favor? All right. That shows unanimous. Thank you so much. Um agenda item 7.2 2 is the first reading of policy EBAA chemical hazards. >> I was so excited to look at this policy. It was not as exciting once I got a chance to look at it. It just sounded cool. Um this this policy ensures that we comply with OSHA. [laughter] So >> very riveting reading. It >> it is riveting. Um but uh because despite the fact that might be unusual, there are chemical uh hazards at the school. There are certain cleaning materials but also science materials
056that um considered are made up of haz hazardous chemicals and so it is required that the the superintendent ensure safe handling and storage of those chemicals. There's also a designation of a chemical hygiene officer which was fascinated by um to ensure that all staff is trained to report any problems with uh chemical hazards and what to do um if there's an issue with them and ensures proper purchase labeling, storage, training and handling and disposal. Um uh happy to answer any questions. I can't do any of the chemistry part. But the policy part uh this uh policy is largely governed by statute. I'm having the OSHA policy and also just safe handling and chemical policies. Um but there you have it. We have last looked at it in 2002. So it's time and there you go.
057>> All right. Are there any questions? Do I have a motion to approve the first reading of policy EBAA chemical hazards as presented? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? And that shows unanimous. Thank you. I'm going to bundle the next two. It's the 73 and 74. It's the first reading of policy JLCE first aid and emergency care and the first reading of policy JLCER first aid emer administration procedure. Um so in looking at this policy I think we discovered some duplicate policies um in our policy repertoire. >> Um and so uh if this goes forward to first reading and passes through second reading we will move to replace EBB which has to do with accident reports and the regulations for accident reports because we've rolled everything substantive of accident reports
058into JLCE which is first aid and emergency medical care. Um so this policy again the first is the policy which just um requires um main school health manual um is defined that is a publication that's put out uh it defines first aid for immediate and temporary care in the event of an accident or injury before medical care can be obtained. So it's what happens at the schools before a student seeks uh more uh intense medical treatment. Um and it just requires the superintendent or their design establish and implement procedures um for dealing with accidents and injuries. um just to ensure there's a plan of action if something happens on the playground um or elsewhere in the building to ensure staff and students are cared for properly. There's no confusion about who or how responses are
059made. Um and then there's it's everything's based on the main school health manual. So it's there's not a lot of choice in these things. Um but it just ensures that if something happens there's not wasted time figuring out who's responsible for what part of the response. Um moving to the response. So most of our policies have policy and then the R anytime has a dash R that's the procedures that go with it. And so this is the first aid administrative procedure um and it really just indicates what would happen in the event of an emergency. Um and so first of all the building principal will be notified immediately of any non-rine injury. So we the building principal is not needed if there's a scraped knee. Um but if there is an exposed kneecap then the
060building principal needs to be notified immediately. Um the report is given in writing. a copy is sent to the superintendent just so we have a record of any sort of injuries that happen in the school. Um if a student needs to be sent home um there needs to be a plan of action to contact the parent or guardian to ensure that the child is transferred into the care of the appropriate um or safe adult. Um and then if there is medical intervention needed um the I ideally the parent or guardian seeks that medical treatment um and is but in the event that that person can't be reached there's a process outlined um the school nurse is notified assesses the situation the parent or guardian is promptly contacted again the desire is for the guardian and
061parent to take over as soon as practical in that situation. Um if no one is available, the school nurse will make an assessment um and try to continue the contact of the parent, render the appropriate level of care and can take can include making sure the student is transported to the hospital if that's appropriate. But again, um the parent and the parent is responsible for any PS for medical treatment if that happens. But again, this is not an attempt or desire to over um to to put the school in the place of the parents. This is really the parent is supposed to take care of their child in the case of emergency only if they cannot be contacted um would the school make any assessment or transport a decision about medical treatment for a child.
062Um this is the first time this is adopted. So this is a um not a policy we've had previously but it combines um the policy the procedure part of it the the original policy I think we did. Um there's a reference to the main school health manual and included in the policy and I'm happy to take questions. >> All right. All right. Do I have a motion to approve the first reading of policy JLCE, First Aid and Emergency Medical Care, and the first reading of policy JLCER, first aid administration procedure. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? And that shows unanimous. Thank you so much. Um agenda item 7.5 is the first reading of policy KB, parent involvement and education. >> Um this is another instance where we have some duplication
063um in policies. So uh we are putting forward KB for first reading today. If KB moves through second reading and is adopted by the board, we will move to replace um and retire policy KBA which is relations with parents. Um everything from that policy would be rolled into this policy. I'm just trying to keep the policies uh as efficient as possible. Uh in this case it really talks about parent involvement education and it starts with a recognition statement that a student's education is a shared responsibility by the school, the student and the family. Um and research indicates the involvement of parents in the support of a children's education increases student achievement. Um really looking to parents as partners with the school to ensure the best educational experience for their student. Um and really partnering in
064making sure that students achieve the best education in the school will do its part and everything it can, but we really need to make sure parents are working with us in order to have best results for students. Um it it is in the intent of the board to promote parent involvement to support meaningful two-way communication, promote responsible parenting, encourage parents to play an integral role, um assist parents in their efforts to support, reinforce, and extend their children's learning. Um I'm not going to read the rest of the policy. goes through and outlines a number of different steps um that uh um the board believes is uh appropriate for parents to consider um when thinking about um partnering with us in their children's ed education. Um and then uh again this is would supplant policy KBA
065happy to take any questions. Um, see none. Um, is there a motion to approve the first reading of policy KB parent involvement in education? >> So move. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> I'm just noticing that in letter N, it looks like we have part of a sentence, but when we go on to the next page, uh, we have another letter. So, I'm not sure. Uh, we can go back and look at our drafts. I think we should do that because when I read the first line, I had a question about the wording that was different than my memory, which is not I don't rely on my memory, but I do rely on my notes, which I have to me. >> Yeah. So, >> do we want to table or do you want
066a motion to table that? >> So, I think we could present it if there are any changes from the draft that we presented tonight. A second readin, I'll explain what the changes are. We'll give you a redline version. >> Um, and really it's just word snipping that very first line. We we spent a lot of time talking about that first line and I didn't I don't think realize that it made it in in that format. So, um, we can still talk about it and, uh, we'll present the second draft. If it's different, I will outline the differences and we'll make them visually, um, obvious to all everyone here so you can see what we did. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is there any other discussion? All in favor? That shows unanimous. Thank you
067so much. 7.6 is the first reading of policy FF, naming facilities policy. >> This is super exciting. Uh this is policy. This is this is actually one of the most exciting moments. Um this is the first policy I worked on the first day that I entered my first policy meeting which is the first uh committee that I chair. Uh so this is the naming facilities policy. This has to do with what happens if um an individual or group wishes to name a building or space um that are um in our schools. The problem with naming our facilities is that none of the buildings or spaces belong to the school district. They belong to the town. And so there's a shared responsibility um for this space. Um so ultimately we worked with the town um in
068different iterations of their of their ordinance not ordinance committee but their policy committee um to get to a place where we could come to an agreement on a policy um that would be acceptable to both um both bodies. And so what we put forward today is a policy so that if a building or uh location that's associated with the school um wishes to be named by somebody, there's criteria and a policy to follow in order to to do that in a responsible manner. Um the issue with naming is that there are a lot of people, as we heard earlier today, there's a lot of people that have had intense and important impacts on our schools. Um and there will always be people who do that. uh we have a very finite amount of space and
069buildings and so when we do convey a name it's important that it's something that um is extraordinary um in in a field of incredible individuals that make up our school district. Um so there's specific criteria um the town council specified that they wanted uh two of at least two of the criteria met um and that has to do that the name is locally significant that it preserves or honors history. It recognizes local landmarks or geographic locations and proximity to the school. The name honors a person who has made an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning or who has be distinguished service to Scarro schools. The proposed name is related to a person who has made a significant contribution at the local, state or national or global level andor the proposed name recognizes a significant contribution
070to Scarboro or Scarboro public schools. um and includes pretty much any space that could be related to the school. That's buildings, auditoriums, gymnasiums, fields, classrooms and similar spaces. And they have to follow the policy in FFR um which outlines um how that um made it gets made. Um I don't see FFR on the agenda and so that is to be but um but that is the the the idea is to have a specific committee named with specific individuals um who will assess the criteria and then make a recommendation to this board that would adopt it would would accept it and forward it to the town council for consideration or would reject it. Um and then the town council could still move forward even if we didn't turn if we decided not to move forward. Um
071but there was an indication that they would take any recommendation of this board very seriously. Um if this if we get a policy and procedure passed, I would urge this board to consider um moving the town council to in some way adopt um some reference to this policy so that if and when this comes up that they have ref they know about this policy because they do not know our policies. Um and there's some way that they you know have to look at it. It doesn't mean that you're going to be able to buy what they're um how they how they move forward, but enforcing that them to recognize that this is a policy will help um in the future and you probably will have spaces to name coming up. >> Just taking see if
072we all right. Are there any um any questions? >> All right. Do I have a motion to approve the first reading policy FF naming facilities policy? So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? I will just say that I very foolishly sat in Michael Gage's office three years ago and promised him we would do this in six months and that was when Frea came on board and um here we are at the end of Freigha's term and we finally are doing this and so I'm so glad you're here to to have this event. This is super ex exciting for all of us that we we are here. Um, so it might have taken a little longer than six months, but um, I am a woman of my word, so here we are. All right. Um, all
073in favor and that shows unanimous. Thank you so much. All right. Um, the 7.7 is the appointment of the Wentworth School social worker. >> Yes. Mary McMillan is being nominated to fill this position due to a resignation. Miss McMillan earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from St. Anslam's College and her master of social work from the University of New England. She has worked in the Boston area as an outreach coordinator and an educational counselor. And in Maine, she's worked at Maine Health Peer and resilience program as a program intern. And currently as a mental health clinician at Acorn and Oak and Kenny Bunk. Respectfully ask you to approve her nomination. >> All right. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the Wentworth school social worker as presented? >> So moved. >> Second.
074>> All in favor? >> That shows unanimous. Thank you so much. Agenda item 7.8 is first year continuing contract professionals. Yes. Um in your packet you'll also see the names of uh two staff members. The first person is moving from uh first year to second year probationary contract and the second individual is moving to a continuing contract. >> Very good. Do I have a motion to approve the first year continuing contract professionals >> as presented? >> Sorry. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Um all in favor. Thank you so much. Agenda item 8.0 is adjournment. With no objections, we will adjourn at 8:05 p.m. Thank you so much. Have a good evening.