Board mulls Penquis school

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

MILO — A week after SAD 41 officials met with selectmen from the four district communities to discuss a potential $10 million project that would convert the Penquis Valley School into a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 facility, the board discussed the next steps during an Oct. 5 meeting.

Assistant Superintendent Meredith Higgins said the capital improvement committee would be meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Marion C. Cook School in LaGrange. “We have lots of factors in play and after the meeting last week we need to get together and focus on that and decide as a group where we are going,” Higgins said.

In addition to the construction costs for the SAD 41 towns, one factor to be looked at further is how the Atkinson deorganization would impact the school project. Under the deorganization plan Atkinson would negotiate a withdrawal from the district, with students heading to RSU 68/Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft.

“At this point we have not been contacted about withdrawing but I am sure that will be coming,” Higgins said. “I would be surprised if we are going to get started with that this year.”

In other business, appointments are in place for the winter sports season. Jason Mills will be the boys varsity basketball head coach with Tyler Pelletier leading the junior varsity, Dawn McLaughlin is the girls varsity basketball head coach with Erin Weston the junior varsity coach and Tammy Murano will be the cheering coach. At the middle school level the coaches are Crystal Cail for boys basketball, Wally Russell for girls basketball and Amanda Martin for cheering.

Penquis Valley School Principal Jeremy Bousquet introduced the two new student representatives to the school board, with freshman Aiden Pardue and sophomore Alexa Urbaniak joining junior Alex Kearns and senior Krista Dearborn.

“I just saw the opportunity to be on the school board,” Pardue said about representing the freshman class. “I like being in the loop and knowing what’s going on in the school and the community.”

Urbaniak said she is new to Penquis Valley “and we didn’t have this opportunity at my old school.” Urbaniak said the four younger representatives to the board can give a student’s perspective in the decision-making process.

Kearns, who is in her third year representing the Class of 2018, concurred with Urbaniak. “I like getting the students’ perspective out there,” Kearns said.

Bousquet said a combined Veteran’s Day assembly is being planned for SAD 41, as he and the elementary principals are planning an event to be held at Penquis Valley to honor all who have served.