One of the pieces of equipment bound for the Wiscasset Elementary School playground fell short of expectations on quality, so the add-on project will need to wait a few weeks, Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot said.

Wilmot told the School Committee Aug. 25, the issue was with a large piece called the Ten Spin, which children push and pull on, developing their gross motor skills. Maine Playgrounds has been great to work with, has apologized for the condition the piece was in and is sending a replacement, Wilmot said.

She and Transportation and Maintenance Director John Merry decided to hold off on the rest of the project, to avoid the safety concern unfinished work would pose. “We did not want an incomplete project on school department property,” she said.

In the meantime, students will be able to use the playground as usual, from the start of the school year, Wilmot said.

Committee member Chelsea Haggett asked if the work could be done on a weekend. Wilmot called that a good question. Town workers will be involved, so she was not sure if that would be possible, she said.

Also during the meeting in the Wiscasset Middle High School library, Wilmot announced several staffing changes, including a hiring she said led her to “tear up a bit” in offering the person the job. Kim Andersson’s move from being a WMHS educational technician to being WMHS’ new teacher of alternative education is a great example of the school department helping staff develop their skills and being able to promote from within, Wilmot said.

At opening day ceremonies for staff Aug. 24, when Wilmot introduced Andersson and other new hires, Andersson raised her arms and let out a yelp, Wilmot said. “She was beaming with pride,” Wilmot added later.

The job Andersson is taking was half-time last school year. Voters restored it to full-time in the June budget vote.

Other hires in the latest round are, at Wiscasset Elementary, Jennifer Keach, kindergarten through grade three resource room special education teacher; Catherine Malloy, kindergarten; Emily Robinson, grade four teacher; Mary Bailey, Title I educational technician; and Alicia Lemar, Rebekah Oliver and Meghan Schofield, special education technicians. An offer has been made to a candidate for a teaching slot in the kindergarten through grade six autism program. Wilmot said she would name the person once the paperwork is done to complete the hiring.

That is also the case for a candidate for Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)/technical education teacher at WMHS, Wilmot said. Other hires at WMHS are Andersson; Carin Stromgren, social worker; Samuel Wenckus, physical education teacher; and special education technicians Brian Snedeker and John Pyrtek.

In resignations, former WMHS assistant principal-athletic director Nate Stubbert is leaving the alternative education teaching job; Rachel Bennett is leaving her social worker job at WMHS; and at WES, Coreen Drown, Michelle Blagdon and Janifer White are leaving their educational technician jobs. 

The committee meets next on Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. in the WMHS library. Looking ahead to holidays and an October training conference open to committee members, the panel changed some meeting dates from the usual fourth Thursday of the month. The new dates are Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15.