Reports and contract renewals were the focus for the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District School Committee May 8. Boothbay Region High School Principal Dan Welch announced this year's West Trust recipients as Valedictorian Lilley Harris and Salutatorian Faith Blethen. The West Trust is a recurring scholarship that goes to the top two performing seniors.

The committee voted unanimously to hire Brittany Rothwell as a special education teacher and Nancy Cressey as Boothbay Region Elementary School kitchen manager. Second-year probationary contracts were approved for Soren Barker, Kristin Cameron, Dennis Dacus, Kerrin Erhard, Zachary Gray, Ashton Harvey, Molly King, Lacey Phelps and Jordan Plummer; third-year probationary contracts for Adam Harter, Abby Manahan, Emelia Petroski and Jeffrey Waldrop; and continuing contracts for Sarah Gordon, Chris Liberti and Jane Wallace.

BRES Principal Mark Tess highlighted the success of student musicians invited to participate in the District III Chorus Music Festival – Rachel Barter and Emery Lorrain for soprano and Grace Campbell under alto – and in the Elementary/Middle School All-State Music Competition – Rose Campbell, Abby Orchard, Maggie Halter, Aileigh Johnson, Bailey Lewis, Sophie White, Gabrielle Crowell and Koh-Koh LaMarche .

“Yesterday we sent our students to the Opera House,” said Tess. “Mrs. O'Connell arranged to have members from the Monmouth Theatre come down and make a presentation called 'Tall Tales Twice Told' ...”

The last band concert of the year will be on Sunday, May 30 at the Opera House and the last chorus concert will be on Tuesday, June 4 at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor. Both are at 6 p.m.

Welch announced 20 graduating seniors would be moving on to four-year universities. “Twelve (more) have decided to go on to a trade school,” said Welch. “That's been something we've been trying to give students more exposure to ... We have two who are going in the Coast Guard and only six who are still trying to figure (things) out.”

Welch said top students attending the annual Mountain Valley Conference Dinner were Hannah Gentry, Faith Blethen, Lilley Harris, Olivia Paolillo, Will LaBrecque, Ashley Abbott, Emma Hodgdon, Bayly Gaughan-Carrasco, Gerald Gagne, Riley Sullivan, Blake Erhard and Henry Drapeau.

”The kids enjoyed it. It was a late night spent in beautiful downtown Jay, Maine. The ride was a lot of fun. We can't wait for our awards nights, Masonic cookout, Rotary dinner, alumni banquet. We do graduation right up here.”