SAD 4 secondary school known as PCHS once again
GUILFORD — Several years ago SAD 4 grades 7-8 were moved to the high school building as part of a district-wide reorganization, resulting in the name of the facility being changed slightly to Piscataquis County Secondary School (PCSS) to reflect the fact that grades 7-12 were housed under one roof. For the 2017-18 academic year grades 7-8 were moved up the street to Piscataquis Community Elementary School, leaving PCSS with just high school pupils.
During a Sept. 12 meeting of the SAD 4 school board at the PCSS, Principal John Keane said the idea of changing the name of the secondary school back to just Piscataquis Community High School (PCHS) has been discussed by students and staff. Within PCSS there had been the high school as well as Piscataquis Community Middle School for grades 7-8.
The PCSS to PCHS name change was formally approved by the directors.
Keane said students and teachers also discussed what would be the formal PCHS Pirate mascot, and a proposal led to both an existing male swash buckler as well as a new female pirate logo.
“I would propose using either of them when appropriate, for instance on the sign we will have the male pirate on one side and the female pirate on the other side,” Keane said. “If it’s going to be on the student handbook it’s going to be the two Pirates.”
The two Pirate mascot request was also approved by the school board.
In other business, SAD 4 officials approved a switch in a pair of teaching positions from half-time to full-time.
First the Learning for Life educator job was changed from full-time to half-time.
“We did not have a need for full-time so we saw fit with the enrollment to reduce it to half-time,” Interim Superintendent Ray Freve said.
When asked about program enrollment he said, “Six and we are expecting one more from Dexter and they will pay program costs,” as SAD 46 would cover the expenses for this student.
“We are open to taking more,” Freve added.
The Learning for Life adjustment enabled a PCHS foreign language position to go up to full-time to meet a need for these classes, as the school board accepted the nomination of Joseph Garbowski as the teacher for this academic year.
Freve said Garbowski speaks German and French as well as Spanish, which there was a need for, and a foreign fourth language the superintendent said he could not recall at that moment.
“It’s going to chew up that other half a salary you just created,” Freve said.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TWO PIRATES FOR PCHS — Piscataquis Community High School will soon have a pair of official mascots. In addition to the existing male pirate, pictured on the sign for the trail linking the high school and elementary school in Guilford, PCHS will also have a female pirate logo.