PERU — The Regional School Unit 10 board on Monday night unanimously approved hiring an assistant superintendent and an elementary school principal.

Pam Doyen of Livermore will become assistant superintendent of the 12-town district on July 1. She was chosen from among 11 applicants. She succeeds Gloria Jenkins.

Jill Bartash, a graduate of Mountain Valley High School in Rumford and an elementary school teacher in RSU 10, was hired as principal for Rumford Elementary School.

Doyen is principal of Greene Elementary School, and has earned degrees from the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine at Farmington. She has special training as a literacy specialist and is working on her doctoral degree at the University of Maine.

Bartash was chosen from among nine applicants. She replaces longtime Principal Christopher Decker who will retire at the end of this school year. Bartash has earned degrees from Colby College and UMF.

Both women have Certificates of Advanced Studies.

Doyen and Bartash join recently hired Meroby Elementary

School Principal Kim Fuller.

In other matters, the board considered a request by Hartford-Sumner Elementary School second grade teacher Melissa Underwood, who wants to take a year sabbatical to research and write a book on education as it relates to mindfulness and meditation and its possible effect on student learning.

Superintendent Craig King said that although most sabbaticals are granted to work on an advanced degree, “independent research would not be outrageous.”

The board tabled action on the request until Underwood provides a more succinct description of her planned research and the benefits it might provide.

Mexico board member Peter DeFilipp said he believed the benefit to the district would be well beyond the $23,000 cost. According to district policy, the district would pay half Underwood’s salary while she was on sabbatical.

Rumford representative Jeremy Volkernik said he wanted to complete the 2016-17 district budget before considering Underwood’s request.