REGION — Board Chair Bonnie Largess (Newry) announced that Monday’s meeting would be her last with members. Largess said she will be moving to Vermont in a couple weeks.

“I’ve enjoyed working with all of you,” she said. “I think this is a wonderful cause and a great way to give back to your community.”

“I truly appreciate the time, effort and energy you have devoted to this,” Superintendent Dave Murphy said of Largess.

Largess had served as the board’s chair for more than a year and had been on the board for 14 years.

Murphy said an interim director would likely be named at one of Newry’s next selectboard meetings.

Member Danny Whitney will take over as board chair and member Jamie Hastings will now be vice chair.

In other matters, Murphy said currently there is nothing to report on the status of winter sports, yet. He said the Maine Principals Association met with the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services recently to discuss the matter.

Murphy also said the that Maine schools received a waiver from the Department of Agriculture to provide free meals for all students 18 and under in the community.

Pre-schoolers and home-schooled students will be eligible for the meals, also, according to Murphy.

People who want free meals are being asked to contact the school. Murphy said parents can either pick up meals on Mondays ( enough food provided for two days) and Wednesday’s (enough for three days) or they can choose to have the hot lunch that school is offering that day. Murphy said if students want the latter, they’d have to contact the school that morning so enough hot meals are prepared

Murphy said these meals will be available the remainder of the school year.

Hot breakfasts are not being offered and as of now, deliveries are not being made, either.

Board member Sarah DeCato (Bethel), said 155 SAD 44 students and SAD 44 65 staff members were successfully vaccinated for the flu. DeCato aided School Nurse Christine Cole with immunizing.