FARMINGTON — The Regional School Unit 9 board of directors used much of Thursday’s meeting to discuss the district’s cellphone ban, a shortage of music teachers and the possibility of new behavioral support for students.
The meeting followed the district’s June 9 budget validation vote, where voters approved a $46.2 million spending plan 2,721 to 1,413. The budget increases district spending by 1.5 percent over last year and raises town assessments by 1.29 percent.
The budget passed in eight towns and was voted down in two. Chesterville voters cast 126 yes and 193 no votes, and New Vineyard voters cast 50 yes and 101 no. It was approved in Farmington with 1,055 yes and 384 no; Industry with 163 yes and 75 no; New Sharon with 261 yes and 189 no; Temple with 101 yes and 53 no; Vienna with 125 yes and 50 no; Weld with 100 yes and 46 no; and Wilton with 634 yes and 281 no.
RSU 9 Superintendent Christian Elkington said he was pleased with the margin of “yes” votes, which came in at nearly 66 percent.
This marks the end of the first year of Mt. Blue High School’s schoolwide cellphone policy. Both MBHS and the Foster Career and Technical Education Center use magnetically locked Yondr pouches that prevent students from accessing their devices during school hours.
While the district already had limits on phone use, the RSU 9 board revised its electronic device policy last summer to strictly restrict phones during school hours and activities. The state has since enacted a bell‑to‑bell ban as part of its supplemental budget in April.
School staff members previously reported positive changes after the Yondr pouches were introduced, and MBHS Principal Joel Smith’s comments to the board Thursday echoed what he shared last fall.
Smith also read an unsolicited comment from a retiring teacher.
“He’s seen a lot of educational initiatives, and he said, by far, Mt. Blue High School going to a cellphone‑free campus was the most transformative thing he’s seen in 40 years,” Smith said.
Smith said staff members would continue refining the program. One example he gave was addressing students who sneak in cellphones and use them in the hallway.
Elkington said he was concerned about the number of music teacher openings in the district. RSU 9, also known as the Mt. Blue Regional School District, has historically had an “excellent, vibrant program,” he said, but it has become difficult to find applicants.
The district had two openings this year despite efforts to advertise the vacancies.
“It’s very concerning,” Elkington said. “It’s very hard to find music teachers.”
Beyond being a well‑regarded program that has long been a priority for the community, music also provides elementary classroom teachers with a break to complete other work, Elkington said.
The district has relied on other staff members, allowing them to earn their certifications over time. Music program staff members have created complex schedules to get students into a reduced number of music classes, but arranging those schedules has been taxing.
“That just wipes them out, in my opinion,” Elkington said of the “convoluted” schedules. “It just asks way too much of them, and so I told them that we aren’t going to do that to you again. We just can’t do that.”
The district is hoping to hire more music teachers to fill the open positions. If it cannot find qualified candidates, an alternative would be to place staff members certified in other subjects, such as art or physical education, into those roles. That approach would still give elementary teachers the planning time they need while ensuring students receive instruction in other disciplines.
Elkington also detailed a plan to use $160,000 in one-time funding to provide additional support for meeting the behavioral needs of younger students.
The district is considering a plan to hire two additional educational technicians at the elementary level, which would bring the total to six. The proposal also includes paying for 20 extra days of work from a behavioral expert and adding nursing support.
The board is expected to take up the plan at its next meeting.
In response to a question, Elkington said adding ed tech positions would affect future budgets once the one‑time funding is exhausted.
“I don’t take this lightly,” he said. “We have severe needs at our younger elementary level and we think that we’re going to need more support — probably even more support than this.”
Elkington said the administrative team is also exploring creating a program for RSU 9 students with the most significant needs.
“Right now, what we’re doing with trying to reintegrate kids two or three days after a major issue is not working,” he said. “We’ve definitely seen that in the last two months.”
The district will also be searching for a new principal for the Wilton elementary schools — Academy Hill and G.D. Cushing School — because Principal Keith Acedo is leaving after 13 years.
Surveys about the search will go out to staff members and parents next week, and Elkington said the district has already received some preliminary interest in the opening.
