June 7 was both a night for hellos and good-byes for the Edgecomb School Committee. The board said hello to a new principal, superintendent and kindergarten teacher. Dr. Christina Boursaw is the new Edgecomb Eddy School principal. She replaces Ira Michaud who served in the job for four years. Boursaw has a two-year contract with a starting salary at $90,000. Robert Kahler joined the meeting through Zoom conferencing. He will replace Dr. Keith Laser on July 1 as the new Alternative Organizational Structure 98 superintendent. Rachael Kellogg is the new kindergarten teacher. Kellogg previously taught first grade at the Ella Lewis School in Steuben. The committee also accepted third grade teacher Allison Crocker’s resignation. She will teach next year at Boothbay Region Elementary School. Jeff Chalmers resigned as the school’s maintenance person. He will be replaced by Scott Carpenter who has served as an afternoon maintenance worker for AOS 98 in Boothbay Harbor and Edgecomb.

In other action, Laser reported he sees “ a lot of black and no red” in the school’s financial report. As of May, the school had only expended 80% of the budget. “By now, you would’ve spent 92%. So you should end up in the black. The biggest savings is in special education because it’s only at 53% spent,” he said. Laser has served as superintendent for three years. Laser thanked the committee for making his tenure an enjoyable one. “For years, I passed the school heading to Boothbay Harbor, and thought, ‘What a neat little school.’ And now I know, it’s neat inside, too,” he said. 

The committee added a new policy which mirrors a new state law. An earned paid leave policy was added so part-time employees can accrue paid time up to 40 hours per year. Michaud reported the final school day is June 14. The school will return to a ‘normal’ graduation ceremony on the last day. The committee may hold a July meeting. The next scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2.