JAY — Regional School Unit 73 directors announced several staff changes Thursday night and appointed a new student representative to the board.

The board appointed Spruce Mountain Elementary School Principal Chris Hollingsworth, effective July 1, to succeed Amanda Hersey, the curriculum, technology and Title 1 coordinator who is resigning. The board will undertake a search for a new principal.

Mary Leighton, special education teacher at Spruce Mountain Elementary School, is retiring at the end of the school year, and Food Services Director Dora York submitted her letter of resignation, effective the end of August.

Spruce Mountain Middle School Principal Scott Albert, who will become superintendent July 1, announced interviews for principal are scheduled next week. He plans to bring a recommendation to the board meeting June 27.

Taylor Guay of Jay, right, talks with Scott Jackson, a student representative on the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors, at Thursday night’s board meeting in Jay. Guay was appointed as a student representative to the board at the meeting. Livermore Falls Advertiser photo by Pam Harnden

Directors approved Taylor Guay, a high school junior from Jay, as student representative to the board. He replaces Orion Schwab who graduated June 9.

“I attended two school board meetings,” Guay said. “I wanted to do something to help out the school.”

He is on the high school ski and baseball teams, is part of Rock of Ages music course and plans to join the Envirothon Team next year.

In other business, directors unanimously approved the request of the high school Envirothon Team to attend the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon at North Carolina State University in Raleigh from July 27 to Aug. 3. It will represent Maine at the international competition.

Team adviser Rob Taylor said this is his 10th state championship team.

He said Envirothon includes yearly tests in aquatics, forestry, soils and wildlife, plus a current issue that changes each year.

Members of the Spruce Mountain High School Envirothon Team present their project to the Regional School Unit 73 directors Thursday night in Jay. From left are Orion Schwab, Natalie Luce and Gabrielle Beaudoin. Livermore Falls Advertiser photo by Pam Harnden

Schwab and team members Gabrielle Beaudion and Natalie Luce gave a short presentation on their project that incorporated biotechnology and gene splicing to increase strawberry yields, created a closed water system similar to hydroponics to prevent erosion and pollution, used a drone for precise applications of fertilizer and a robot named Moove to keep feed close to cows. The team also had to create an itemized budget.

Team members Jonathan Brenner and Hunter Quirrion were absent Thursday night.

Before the trip was approved, Director Joel Pike said this year’s team is all seniors.

“This whole team has graduated,” he said.

After a board discussion, it was announced the board could approve the trip.