Hermon GOP Connect
- Danielle Haggerty
- Jul 11, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 12, 2024
July 11, 2024
Thursday, July 18th, 2024 at 6:30 PM
***Take note of new 6:30 PM start time!***
Hermon Town Council Meeting
Public Safety Meeting Room
333 Billings Rd.
BACK TO BACK Champions
Hermon Junior League brings home another banner. Congratulations to the entire team and good luck at States!
Benjamin named Miss Maine Teen
Congratulations to 2024 Hermon graduate Eva Benjamin! Miss Benjamin was named Miss Maine’s Teen. You can follow her journey at https://www.instagram.com/evabenjamin.pageants/.
~This Week's Recap~
Hermon School Committee Meeting Recap
On Monday, July 8, the Hermon School Committee had its first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year. It was great to see collaboration at work! Let's hope it continues in the coming weeks and months.
Interim superintendent Patricia Duran and new school committee member Anthony Reynolds joined committee members Stephanie Oiler, Haily Keezer, Brian Veneziano and Debbie Co Wallis. Dave Hart, Jr. was absent. With the recent resignation of Christopher McLaughlin there was one vacant seat. This vacant seat will be filled during a special election on November 5, 2024.
Archived School Committee Meeting Videos (Video was not available at time of writing)
Meeting Highlights
Committee Chair and Vice Chair
Stephanie Oiler was elected chair and Brian Veneziano was elected vice chair.
Title Funding
Melissa Biehn, Director of Curriculum, gave a presentation regarding Title funding and goals for the 24-25 school year.
Superintendent Search
Superintendent Grant resigned in the spring of 2024, leaving the committee to search for a new superintendent. Interim superintendent Patricia Duran started in June 2024, and will serve until December 2024.
At the meeting, discussion took place about the superintendent search. Committee members expressed that six months is a tight timeline for such a search; therefore, members wanted to start the process as soon as possible. They have chosen to work with MSMA. The process starts with a committee meeting to discuss next steps including how to include committee members, teachers, and community members.
They are looking to schedule a special school committee meeting soon to discuss next steps.
Being a Reader: Curriculum Approved
Teachers and administrators identified an opportunity to improve reading skills at the K-5 level. With the recently available DOE grant they endeavored to look at different curriculums that would improve student outcomes in reading. Thanks to a $32,000 grant awarded by the Maine DOE to the HSD, the K-5 teachers did an expansive exploration of multiple reading curriculums. Last year, they beta tested two reading curriculums: Amplify CKLA and Being a Reader. These reading curriculums were chosen based on the ability to address identified gaps in student learning. After the beta test, 100% of the teachers recommend choosing the Being a Reader curriculum to be used in K-5.
Melissa Biehn, Director of Curriculum stated that the Being a Reader curriculum will complement the recently started Phonics curriculum.
The school committee had lots of discussion about the curriculum, cost, and implementation with Melissa Biehn. Cost of implementation appeared to be an important factor when deciding if the program should be rolled out this year to K-5 or be split over two years with K-2 starting this year and 3-5 starting next year. The estimated cost, including the program’s classroom libraries, was approximately $17,000 per grade. Ongoing costs would be substantially less than the start-up costs. The school committee unanimously supported the addition of the Being a Reader curriculum. With the committee’s approval, administration will finalize the plan based on available funds.
Reports: Accepted as Presented
IT update highlighted the installation of new camera security systems at PADs and HMS, with a plan to upgrade the cameras at HHS by the end of the summer. 28 network servers used to run the old Linex system were decommissioned, and the IT department has started a network segmentation project.
Facilities update included the status of several projects: Pottle Field had chain link fence added around the perimeter, bleachers were repaired and updated to meet ADA requirements, and the ticket booths were repaired / replaced due to storm damage. The inside of the track was hydro-seeded in hopes of making it a soccer practice area, and the chain link fence was replaced around parts of the HHS baseball field. They have also started an elementary school cafeteria floor project and the installation of a divider wall at HMS for a new classroom.
Finance reported that the 2023 town and school audit started in June. DOE approved an extension for the 2023 audit. The finance office is on track for the 2024 audit process.
Sub Committee Members Elected
Finance - Stephanie Oiler and Brian Veneziano
Facility - Haily Keezer and Anthony Reynolds
Policy - Debbie Co Wallis and Anthony Reynolds
Technology - Haily Keezer and Dave Hart Jr
Negotiations - Stephanie Oiler and Brian Veneziano
Curriculum - Haily Keezer and Brian Veneziano
Pine Tree Region 4 Board for UTC - Brian Veneziano
2024-2025 School Committee Schedule
Monday, August 5, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Monday, September 9, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Monday, October 7 at 6:30 PM
Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Monday, December 9, 2024 at 6:30 PM
Monday, January 6, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, February 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, March 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, April 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, May 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, June 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Monday, July 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Upcoming Committee Meetings
Meetings are typically held in Hermon High School Auditorium at 6:30 PM.
Monday, August 5, 2024
TBD - Special Committee Meeting Re: Superintendent Search Process
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16: 13-14
Danielle Haggerty
Chair
Hermon GOP
Your support of $25 will help keep Hermon a great place to live, work, and play
by supporting efforts to elect common sense conservatives.
Thank you for helping our community!
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