This article contains corrections.

It was a night filled with good-byes as two Edgecomb school officials participated in their final meeting with the current committee. Chairman Tom Abello is leaving the board after eight years. Principal Ira Michaud will head to Nobleboro Central School next fall. Michaud recounted during the May 10 committee meeting how Abello led major changes in Edgecomb Eddy School. “When I started four years ago, it was your first year as chairman. In that time, there have been a lot of new programs, agreements, and you absolutely shifted how this school operates.Your leadership has been awesome, and I appreciate how you stood up for the school,” he said.

Abello also praised Michaud’s performance as principal. “You brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the school. You followed a longtime principal, in Lisa Clarke, which was a difficult task. But you dove into the challenge, and left the school in a better place than you found it,” Abello said.

In other action,  the committee unanimously agreed to extend two tuition agreements with Regional School Unit 12 on pre-kindergarten and kindergarten through grade six tuition. Michaud previously met with RSU 12 Superintendent Howie Tuttle in amending the agreement language in both contracts. Michaud described the changes as a minor.

 The changes do not impact pre-kindergarten class size. Based on Department of Education guidelines of an 8:1 student to teacher ratio, the class remains limited to 16 students.“This will be a first-come, first-serve basis. It’s the only way to handle this. If we reach the cap, the agreement allows for Alna and Westport Island students to attend pre-kindergarten in another RSU 12 school. I think Edgecomb needs to reach out to Boothbay for a similar agreement,” he said. 

For the past four years, pre-kindergarten tuition rates was $7,000 per student, The new rate will be the state average tuition rate based on the DOE table for elementary schools. According to Michaud, “the K-6 agreement with RSU 12, as well with grade 7-12 with Boothbay Community School District, contains the following language ‘the Edgecomb School Committee agrees to set a tuition rate not to exceed the allowable rate established by the state based on the prior year’s rate’.”

Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Dr. Keith Laser reported health insurance costs didn’t rise as steeply as expected. Laser said Edgecomb and other smaller AOS schools’ and central office’s heath insurance increased 2% and the Community School District costs had no increase. “It was a bit of a surprise. We budgeted for an 8% increase,” Laser said. 

Michaud reported Edgecomb Eddy has begun a facility improvement plan which will map out progress goals for one-, three- and five-year periods. The biggest facility project is slated for this summer when a new roof is put on the school, Michaud said. The school committee renewed continuing teachers’ contracts for Sally Monroe and Michelle Fortin. The committee also hired Rebecca Shafer as an educational technician beginning Aug. 31. Laser also announced the annual AOS 98 Budget Meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 13 in the Boothbay Region Elementary School gymnasium.

The school committee’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, June 7 via Zoom conference.