Penquis Valley School administrators in place for this year and beyond
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
MILO — The SAD 41 school board approved an extension for Penquis Valley School Principal Jeremy Bousquet and the hire of an assistant principal for the grade 6-12 institution during a Sept. 14 meeting.
Following a near 50-minute executive session, the contract of Bousquet was extended through the 2018-19 academic year. Bousquet, who was worked at Penquis Valley for the last decade, became interim principal for 2014-15. He was hired as principal early in the 2015 calendar year.
“We had an assistant principal in place on Thursday and on Monday we didn’t,” Superintendent Michael Wright said. “Things happen and change with people’s personal lives.”
In August the school board approved the nomination of Anita Black as Penquis Valley High School/Middle School assistant principal and on Sept. 14 the directors approved Black’s resignation.
Michael Rollins’ name was brought forward to fill the administrative vacancy and this nomination was approved. Rollins had previously worked in RSU 64 of East Corinth, having spent the last two years as the district’s enrichment (academic and behavioral) coordinator. He also has served as an assistant principal, math interventionist and grade 5 teacher in RSU 64.
In other business, Brownville Elementary Principal Carol Smith thanked the ladies of the United Methodist Church for the generous donations of school supplies. “It’s such as blessing to our school when they do that,” Smith said, saying the items help ensure students have what they need to begin the year.
“A huge thank you to the local churches and organizations for the school supplies,” Bousquet said about the contributions given to Penquis Valley. He said two carloads of supplies were donated and soon the school will be receiving 96 pairs of New Balance shoes for pupils in need.
Bousquet said through various fundraisers, the Penquis fall athletic teams have raised about $6,000 “for them to put back into our programs.”