Wiscasset Superintendent of Schools Kim Andersson told the school committee Jan. 9, Wiscasset Middle High School students and staff kept the learning going in a power outage when they could not leave due to a downed line. Recounting the Dec. 18 incident and commending students and staff, she said a high windstorm was under way and WMHS lost power, but it was not safe to dismiss the school at 10 a.m. with the line down at the end of the driveway.

Nor could the school evacuate to Wiscasset Community Center next door, because “the winds were really high and (people) would have had to either go under the trees or go past the wire,” so they had to stay put, Andersson said.

“Even though it was daytime, a lot of the corridors were very dark; and everybody did a really great job at staying calm and carrying on.” From classes that converted to study hall, to others that carried on with French and history, she said, “it was good to see and made me feel very proud of the entire staff.”

It was safe to dismiss school at 11:30 a.m., Andersson said. She added, a transformer blew behind the school, power was restored Dec. 20 and school resumed for WMHS Dec. 21.

Also Jan. 9, public comment was again filled with criticism for Andersson and the school committee over Gina Stevens’ dismissal as WMHS principal. Wiscasset’s Chet Grover said, “I hope you sleep well, because I think you did something very detrimental to this school.”

Science teacher Shari Templeton handed in what she called “part one” of a community “vote of no confidence” in Andersson. It accused Andersson of, among other claims, “a general lack of awareness, respect, sensitivity and good judgment, (creating) a culture of uncertainty” and undermining Stevens’ work on building a safer, academically stronger school.

The document states it contains signatures from WMHS staff, parents, alumni and community members. Wiscasset Newspaper counted about 156 names, plus some lines that stated “WMHS staff” without a name. Asked about the “multi-step process” she referred to Jan. 9, Templeton said in a phone interview Jan. 10, the signature gathering would next move online. And some involved are looking at possibly holding a community meeting, with a moderator, “so that the townspeople can come together and talk about what’s happening,” she said. 

In email responses to questions Jan. 10, Andersson said she had no specific comments on Templeton’s statements to the committee or on the document Templeton presented. “I will continue to direct my energy and focus on the positive, student-centered initiatives that are moving our district forward, like those shared by the administrative team last night,” Andersson said. In their written and oral reports, administrators said pre-kindergarten is increasing to four days a week; the school department’s relationship with Wiscasset Community Center is growing with after school programming; special education is exploring having school psychology interns from University of Southern Maine next school year; and Wiscasset Elementary School is working to increase outdoor education, including seeking a grant for the school gardens. 

Also responding to a request for comment Jan. 10 on the “no confidence” matter, Chair Jason Putnam wrote back, “Only the school committee can dismiss a superintendent and we aren’t considering doing that.”

WES first grade teacher Tracy Stover commented in the Zoom chat during the meeting, as the 2022 Lincoln County teacher of the year and a 37-year employee, she fully supports Andersson and the committee and their trying to move forward with positivity for the students, staff and community. 

The school department has advertised for an interim WMHS principal to serve out the school year;, and around March 1 will advertise for a permanent one, Andersson told the committee in the meeting at WMHS’ library and over Zoom.  

In other business, the committee held an executive, or closed door, session Putnam said was about records that are legally barred from public access; and in public session accepted secretary Bethany Robinson’s and English teacher Michelle Fraser’s resignations; and named Eleanor Thomas after school coordinator and Billy Pinkham assistant middle school basketball coach. Also, Putnam read off second grade teacher Dona Footer’s letter stating she plans to retire at the end of the school year. 

“I have greatly enjoyed my years of teaching the children of Wiscasset and the surrounding towns,” Putnam read from Footer’s letter.