SAD 4 board extends pact with PVAEC

New health education classroom
under construction at Millworks

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    GUILFORD — School Administrative District 4 will remain a member of the Piscataquis Valley Adult Education Cooperative through 2017, thanks to action by its board of directors last week.
    Executive Director Thelma Regan updated directors at their Jan. 13 meeting on new adult education programs now being offered through Tri-County Technical Center.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    APPLE AWARD — School Administrative District 4 was presented with an Apple Distinguished Program award at last week’s board meeting for its district-wide pre-K-12 technology program. Pictured, from left, are Apple education development director Jim Moulton, PCSS Principal John Keane, PCES Principal Anita Wright and Apple Account Executive Tara Maker.

    Regan said that she spends a great deal of time “on the road” speaking to groups and business leaders to assess educational opportunities needed in the region.
    PVAEC moved its office to the Penquis Higher Education Center in Dover-Foxcroft last summer, a decision which Regan said had a “huge positive impact. We’re now sharing space and more resources with Eastern Maine Community College.”
    Regan also announced that a medical clinic classroom is being added to PVAEC’s offices at Millworks in Dexter, the former Abbot Woolen Mill.
    TCTC Director Patrick O’Neil is in the process of acquiring some medical equipment from Eastern Maine Healthcare “which is undergoing major renovations at their hospitals,” Regan said. Some of the items like hospital beds are only two years old and in excellent shape, but are scheduled for replacement at EMH, she explained.
    TCTC building trades students are also doing the bulk of the renovations for the new classroom, Regan said. “This is work that really matters. They’ll be able to go into that place years from now and say ‘I helped build this,’” she added.
    The medical clinic may also help EMS personnel get recertification without being required to travel. One problem has always been getting a minimum number of participants to hold a class, Regan said.
    One cooperative agreement already underway is the availability of the TCTC Class B truck driving course to adults. When the class was first announced in December, there were no takers. But as of Jan. 17, four adults are taking the 80-hour course.
    Students can also apply for a short-term loan for the $2,800 tuition from Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union, Regan said.
    In other business discussed at the Jan. 13 meeting, Board Chair Cinthia Hoak urged members to help recruit candidates for several vacancies on the panel. Although Guilford is the largest community in the district, two out of four positions are vacant and one member — James Drinkwater — no longer attends meetings, Hoak said. “There are times when have important votes; and when we have this many vacancies, there’s a danger that we may not have a quorum,” she said. There’s also a vacancy in Sangerville.
    Municipal elections are held in March and nomination papers for offices are usually circulated this time of year.
    SAD 4 was also honored with another Apple Distinguished Program award at last week’s meeting as company representatives Jim Moulton and Tara Maker presented the district with a banner and plaque.
    The district, which encompasses Guilford, Sangerville, Abbot, Parkman, Cambridge and Wellington, was one of the first in the nation several years ago to provide each of its middle school students with their own Apple computers.