JAY — At the Thursday, March 10, Regional School Unit 73 Board of Directors meeting there was a discussion about bullying of students choosing to wear masks now that they are optional in Spruce Mountain buildings.

“It’s good to see everyone’s faces tonight,” Chairman Robert Staples said when opening the meeting. A few board members chose to wear masks during the meeting.

On Tuesday an emergency board meeting was held when the board unanimously approved a masking optional policy for the district.

Director Lynn Ouellette said she had been contacted by a parent concerned that her children could be bullied if they were to wear masks.

“I answered her that the administrators, the staff are aware,” Ouellette said.

“I have four children in the schools and they did come back the past two days saying there is massive bullying going on,” Director Brandi Galgano said. “Before school started yesterday I called my kids aside, said ‘some kids will choose to wear their masks. That is what an option is for.'”

If her children were to see bullying she told them they could either stand up or tell someone, Galgano noted.

“I have a student who decided to keep the mask on,” she said. “You don’t know how this is all playing out.

“I believe the schools are well aware, but it sounds like a lot of kids are being picked on, [called] nicknames, shoved,” Galgano noted. “I don’t like hearing this. I think it’s coming from all district schools.”

She suggested a letter be sent to parents about the new bullying situation, remind them to speak to their kids about respecting choice.

“Some kids choose to wear a mask to feel safe, to protect a family member at home,” Galgano said. “It’s their choice, … need to respect that.

“I am getting really sick of the whole bullying situation,” she added.

The mask thing went really well, Spruce Mountain High School Principal TJ Plourde said during administrative reports.

“The students were energized, there was a lot of giggling as kids walked through the doors,” he noted.

“A number of students approached me with ‘So that’s what you look like,'” middle school principal Caroline “Carrie” Luce said. “Right back at ya!” she said she responded.

Luce was hired as the school’s principal in June 2020. Wednesday was the first day she did not wear a mask while in the school.

There has been new-found joy, connections, Luce noted.

During public comments John Benedetto of Livermore Falls asked where information could be found on the district’s new website and if schools could send out a cheat sheet for parents on where to find curriculum, etc. He also said a contest to redesign the website would be a good opportunity for high school students.

“Now on to some other stuff, it’s a little bit dated,” he said. “I haven’t been to a meeting for a few days. I’m sure some of the gang of six are disappointed that I haven’t been able to speak.”

Benedetto said he obtained a copy of the NWEA testing results for RSU 73. He noted it cited RSU 73 as doing well measured against national averages.

“It is troubling to see that only 40% of the students’ achievement level is at the proficient level or higher,” he said. “It is heart wrenching to see that more than half the students are achieving at such a basic level. What is worse, I hear some of the RSU 73 board members applauding how well the students are performing.

“To say this is a high level of achievement is a disgrace,” he noted.

At several meetings Benedetto has spoken against mandating masks be worn and questioned educational procedures in the district.

In a 6-5 vote in August Directors mandated masks be worn in all RSU 73 buildings.

Speaking only for herself Board of Director Lynn Ouellette said, “I find your reference to the gang of six to be very rude and disrespectful. Someone coming before the Board should show some respect.”

When asked later, Ouellette said ‘gang of six’ referred to those voting for the mask mandate.

During her report Luce noted her staff is in the early planning stages for summer school. She expects to have a projected head count at the next meeting.

When asked, she said the numbers would not be as large as last year.

“The pandemic has had long lasting consequences on growth, but it is not as bleak as it may sound,” Luce said. “Our kids are resilient and they are doing really well. So no, it won’t be like last year. The kids have been at school five days a week.”