JAY — Jocelyn Mosher-Collins believes newly hired Superintendent Kenneth Healey is positive for the community.

“He was prepared to respond to questions, and he seems to communicate well,” said the Jay parent of two children in the Spruce Mountain district.

Mosher-Collins was one of about 25 community and RSU 73 staff members who attended a special public session to “Meet the Superintendent” on Thursday night at Spruce Mountain Middle School.

Healey was hired this summer by the RSU 73 board to replace retiring Superintendent Dr. Robert Wall. He came to the district after serving as principal of Lisbon High School, and previously as assistant principal of Westbrook High School.

Healey shared educational philosophy and personal information — he is married with one daughter and is a fan of the Phoenix, Notre Dame and Patriots football teams — with the crowd, then fielded questions.

Among the top queries or comments were those regarding the status of the former Livermore Falls High School and settlement of the teachers’ contract, which expired two years ago.

He told the gathering that along with maintaining a philosophy of transparency, settling the contract is his No. 1 priority.

“I knew this was the most difficult task when I was hired,” he said.

“It’s time to have a contract,” said Spruce Mountain High School social studies teacher Sue St. Pierre following the session. “(The forum) is great. We’re all part of a team.”

In response to a comment by Livermore resident Warren Forbes that the former Livermore Falls High School should be closed, Healey said that was his plan. He said with sufficient space in the district’s buildings to accommodate all students, he believes the board should close the building, then offer it to the town. If the town turns down receipt of the building, then it would likely be put on the market.

Jay resident Joyce Goding questioned whether students will be required to earn a standards-based beginning with the Class of 2018, the date that is required by state law.

Healey said Principal T.J. Plourde is currently in the process of applying for an extension of that date to 2020. He said such a change in diploma requirements should start in the elementary grades.

“If not, we push them through and high school is the recipient of some ill-prepared students or dropouts,” he said.

However, the district staff is working toward developing standards-based learning, which means students must master a specified body of knowledge.

Healey is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned some of his post-secondary education while serving, then bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Southern Maine. While he has never taught in a public school, he taught many courses while in the service.

Healey, who lives in Gorham, said he has taken an efficiency apartment in the area, then will go home Friday afternoon for the weekend.

He said state law allows certification as an administrator if a person has three years of public or military teaching experience.

He also said there are several items in the current school budget that he’d like to change. He did not specify what those would be.

“One of the things I told the committee during the interview (for the position) was I wanted to try to reach out to the community like this,” he said.

The next regular RSU 73 board meeting takes place at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 21, at the Cedar Street, Livermore Falls, Central Office.