FARMINGTON — Recent student achievements and program growth were topics at the May 13 Regional School Unit 9 meeting, the board of directors. Mt. Blue High School Principal Joel Smith and Foster Career and Technical Education Center Interim Director Galen Dalrymple brought directors up to date on student and program achievements.

RSU 9 serves the towns of Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, New Sharon, New Vinyeard, Starks, Vienna, Weld and Wilton.

Smith began his remarks by recognizing the Mt. Blue Nordic Team, which traveled to the statehouse to be honored for winning both the boys’ and girls’ state championships and the sportsmanship banner. “It’s not every high school in the state that gets called to the statehouse,” Smith said. “I feel pretty lucky to be leading the school.”

Smith emphasized the school’s efforts to increase student engagement through experiential learning opportunities. He highlighted Tyler Brown’s Maine History class, which recently visited the Maine Local Living School to explore Wabanaki and colonial food traditions, culminating in a student-prepared meal featuring applesauce, cornbread and fried parsnips.

“That’s just a good opportunity for our students to see a different type of learning, and that’s been one of our goals,” Smith said.

He also noted that Mt. Blue High School has earned national recognition as a Building Assets, Reducing Risks, or BARR-accredited school. “Because of that accreditation, a school from Rhode Island is actually making the journey up to Maine to see what we’re doing,” he said.

Attendance improvements were also shared: chronic absenteeism dropped to 29% from 31% at this time last year, and average daily attendance has risen from 88% to 91%. Smith credited the school’s attendance team and collaboration with Foster CTE Center for the gains.

Dalrymple followed with updates on Foster CTE Center programs, highlighting a recent collaboration with the Maine Forest Service. “Our outdoor leadership and firefighting programs combined to gain skills in forest fire management, forest fire prevention and mock rescues,” Dalrymple said. Students completed the Maine Basic Wildland Course and earned certification needed for firefighting with the National Park Service or Maine Forest Service.

He shared that 70 families attended the center’s first new student orientation night April 10, held alongside Mt. Blue’s parent-teacher conferences and junior planning seminar. “I think it was a huge success based on the first time event and the distance those folks traveled to get here,” he said.

Enrollment at Foster CTE has grown to 441 students for the 2025-26 school year, a 10% increase over the previous year.

Dalrymple also announced that he was elected treasurer of the Maine Association for Career and Technical Educators and nominated to the statewide certification committee. “Certification for CTE across the state has been a struggle,” he said. “We’re hoping to make it a more streamlined and efficient process.”

Both reports underscored a district-wide commitment to providing real-world, hands-on educational experiences and fostering student success.