POLAND — The RSU 16 School Committee learned Monday that the participation fees collected from Poland Regional High School and Whittier Middle School students have not only paid for the athletic field lights, but that there was enough left over in the participation fee account to repair the sound system in the school gymnasium.

High school Principal Cari Medd told the committee that $6,545 was taken from participation fees collected this school year to pay off the final amount owed to the RSU for the athletic field lights.

Medd also reported that an updated wireless system had been installed in the gymnasium stands for $1,587.

While some repair work remains incomplete on the rest of the system, she said, the final cost to fully upgrade the sound system would be far less than the original proposal given to the committee in February.

At this point, Medd noted, the participation fee account balance is a little under $3,000. The balance, she said, will remain in the student activities account to go toward the upcoming track-resurfacing project.

In other business, the School Committee approved a recommendation for a plan to provide additional staff development time for teachers.

Under the new plan, there would be no more half-days, whereby students are dismissed on a random basis sometime before noon.

The new plan calls for releasing students one hour earlier than usual, one day per week. While it would be the same day every week, the School Committee did not set which day it would be, leaving that decision up to school administration.

The School Committee also agreed to alter its customary practice of not scheduling a July meeting and opted to meet on July 22 to decide what day of the week will be set aside for the early release from classes.

The committee also hopes to be in a position at the July meeting to name a successor to Special Education Director Susan Prince, who is leaving to accept a similar position with RSU 57.

Contracts were extended for an additional two years for the following RSU personnel: Betty Hayes, food service director; Tom Kelly, transportation director; Linda Chaisson, information technology director; Gary Purington, maintenance supervisor for Elm Street and Minot Consolidated schools; Tony Bennett, maintenance supervisor for Whittier Middle School and Poland Regional High School; and Rich Rzyski, maintenance supervisor for Poland Community School.

School Committee member Ellie Biron, who represents Minot, announced that she is resigning from the committee, effective at the end of June. Biron said she is moving to Missouri.

The committee agreed to meet twice in August, on Aug. 5 and 19, in preparation for the first day of the school year, which is scheduled for Aug. 29.