The Community School District (CSD) school board discussed academic year-end wrap ups and took several actions around staffing June 17. The board named Kim Dionne assistant principal at Boothbay Region Elementary School (BRES) and approved a contract with Boothbay Region Education Association.  

Dionne was unanimously approved as assistant principal weeks after the district announced Julianne Hansbury, who currently holds the job, will be the new Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 special education director. Dionne said she has been the BRES guidance counselor for 14 years and is looking forward to the move.  

“I’m excited to try something new and take on more ownership of our school,” Dionne said. 

The board also voted 5-1 to approve the 2024-2027 contract agreement between the CSD and Boothbay Region Education Association. The lone ‘no,’ Stephanie Hawke, said she voted against the motion because the staffing costs were “too high, people can't afford them.” 

The contracts include salary, insurance, retirement, professional development and other staff benefits, which were listed in the 2024-2025 CSD budget. According to AOS 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler, staff expenditures are not final because changes can happen throughout the year. However, he said such changes will not increase the budget voters approved June 11. 

In other business, the board nominated several members for a new construction committee for the BRES renovation project. Kahler said the committee is not finalized but will include him, members of the board of trustees and school board, school district building administrators, and outside professionals as the project architects. The board nominated Abby Jones and Peggy Splaine to the committee with Bruce MacDonald and Jenessa Garrett as alternates. 

In addition, MacDonald expressed interest in moving the conversation forward on regional school options. In several previous meetings, MacDonald and other school board members have discussed exploring options around regionalizing schools, consolidation, or cooperative agreements between schools and districts to share and cut costs. “I think we want to get it to voters at some time,” he said.  

Also, Kahler reported they have begun several applications for outside funding. At the state level, he said they have begun the process to apply for funding to help support construction at Boothbay Region High school. Applications are due in August. The district also began its 2025 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) applications, which provides federal support for the schools. According to BRES Principal Shawna Kurr, the money has funded summer school but has decreased from previous years as part of a pattern from the federal government. Kurr said the district will be putting in an ask in next year’s budget to cover the cost of the program for 2025. Opportunity for public comment on ESEA is open until July 5, and comments can be submitted to ESEA Coordinator Lisa Sharp at lsharp@aos98schools.org or the superintendent’s office at 207-633-2874.