POLAND — The RSU 16 School Committee on Wednesday officially approved hiring Ryan Patrie as the new principal of Elm Street School, effective July 1.

 

Superintendent Tina Meserve, introducing Patrie to the full board for the first time, noted that although he wasn’t officially hired, he had spent a day last week at the Elm Street School greeting students, faculty and parents and community volunteers who happened to be present.

 

Patrie reported that he liked what he saw and that his intent in starting out was to be “an observer of things, of the building, teachers and students, to find out what’s working well, and build from there.”

 

Patrie has been in education for 11 years.

 

For the past four years, Patrie was assistant principal at Lisbon Community School and, for seven years prior to that, he was a classroom teacher for grades three through nine in other schools.

 

He grew up in Sparks, Nev., and received his undergraduate degree in elementary and special education from Montana State University. Patrie is working on his doctoral degree in instructional leadership at the University of New England.

 

His road to Maine ran through Philadelphia, Patrie told the board, where he found himself having joined the Teach for America program after his time in Montana. It was in Philadelphia that he also found his wife, a native of Lisbon.

 

Patrie said he was particularly pleased coming to Elm Street School for its small-town community feel.

 

School Committee member Mary Ella Jones welcomed Patrie to the district. “I think you will find the people of Mechanic Falls really support their school, and will support you.”

 

In other business:

 

* The committee certified the results of the June 10 referendum that approved the 2014-15 school budget and signed the warrant for the assessment of taxes for each of the district’s towns.

 

* Assistant Superintendent Kim Brandt told the committee that Great Schools Partnership had nominated Poland Regional High School as one of three schools in New England for special study, based on the school’s performance in personalized learning. Brandt said more information of this designation would be forthcoming as the new school year approaches.

 

* Brandt reported that revisions to the district’s proposed “use of facilities” policy are undergoing legal review in preparation for approval at the board’s next regular meeting, scheduled for Aug. 18.

 

The proposed policy was challenged when it first appeared before the board in late winter because of a provision requiring non-school groups wishing to use school facilities to carry $100,000 liability insurance.

 

* Superintendent Meserve advised the board that she had begun assessing how the state’s new guideline requirements for high school graduation, the requirement for proficiency-based diplomas in particular, will affect district policy.

 

* Athletic Director Don King told the board that the Poland Regional High School boosters club had raised about $10,000 toward the $22,000 it estimates will be needed for a new concession stand at the athletic fields. The 16- by 24-foot building, which will replace a trailer, could be in operation a year from this fall.