LIVERMORE — Regional School Unit 73 directors on Thursday approved the appointment of Gregory Henderson as principal of Spruce Mountain Middle School in Jay. He will start Monday.

Regional School Unit 73 directors on Thursday appointed Gregory “Greg” Henderson as the Spruce Mountain Middle School Principal. He replaces Scott Albert who will take over as the district’s superintendent on July 1. Livermore Falls Advertiser photo by Pam Harnden

For the past two years he was assistant principal at Oak Hill High School in Wales. Before that he was assistant principal at Skowhegan Area High School for five years and spent nine years as a guidance counselor at Cony and Hall-Dale high schools in Augusta and Farmingdale, respectively.

Henderson lives in Readfield.

In other business, directors approved a five-day canoe trip to Moose River in Jackman for Spruce Mountain High School Assistant Principal Marc Keller and two students, pending verification of insurance coverage. Keller said they will join a group from Mt. Abram High School in Salem Township.

The trip is part of an effort to get an outdoor club started at the Jay high school.

“The goal is to develop interest, take our own trip,” Keller said.

The students will learn how to pack and set up campfires, among other things. Parents will transport the group to and from Jackman.

Keller said four students have expressed interest and the first two to complete the paperwork will go.

Also on Thursday, Siemens company representative Tom Seekins gave a final report on $6 million worth of energy-saving work at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay and other district buildings.

“It’s one of the most challenging ones we’ve ever done,” he said. “We’ve done $20 million in projects in the last year. By far, this project will have the biggest impact.”

Director Doug DiPasquale said the district could have spent $5 million on the elementary school alone. The state has a $2.5 million cap per building.

“An energy savings is guaranteed,” he said. “If not, Siemens will reimburse us.”

Seekins noted everything has to work together to yield savings.

“If not, it means our design was faulty,” he said.