MEXICO — The Region 9 vocational school board appointed four instructors at its meeting Thursday night, resulting in a full slate of teachers when the new school year begins Sept. 4.

One of the new positions this year is a full-time floating educational technician. Christopher Gorham of Hanover will provide support for any of the instructors on an as-needed basis. The need for the new position is the result of eliminating educational technicians for several of the vocational programs.

Gorham is a former RSU 10 educational technician who also taught in SAD 44 and for Lee Academy.

Former wood harvesting program educational technician David Mason of Stoneham was appointed as instructor of that program. Mason taught in the forestry program of Region 11 in Paris and served as student services coordinator and director of the vocational school. He replaced Marc Dupuis who retired at the end of the past school year.

As the second year of the fire science program begins, 25-year veteran of the Paris Fire Department Jonathan Longley will lead the program. Besides serving as deputy chief for the Paris Fire Department, Longley, of Hanover, taught in a middle school alternative education program in RSU 10.

Director Brenda Gammon said some consideration has been given to offering Region 9 students who have completed fire science or certified nursing assistant programs a chance to take a year of classes for emergency medical technician certification.

Mark Beaudoin of  Hanover was hired as wood harvesting program educational technician to replace Mason. Beaudoin is a longtime self-employed logger and owner of Brush Marx Custom Lettering in Hanover.

Adult education director Nancy Allen has hired Debra Murphy as a 22-hour-per-week administrative assistant. She replaces 20-year veteran Sally Yarnish, who retired at the end of the school year.

Allen also said that literacy teacher Sue Ellen Richardson and data entry clerk Sharron Cornell resigned. The adult education program also is searching for a part-time mathematics teacher.

In other matters Thursday night, the board approved a hot lunch contract with RSU 10 for providing lunches to vocational students. Prices for lunches will be the same as for schools in the district. They are $2.20 for students, 40 cents for reduced-cost lunches and $4 for adults. The meals will be transported to the vocational school from Mountain Valley Middle School.

Gammon said teachers will begin the new school year with workshops scheduled for Aug. 29 and 30.