PARIS — Maine School Administrative 17’s Curriculum Director Jill Bartash was unanimously appointed as Hebron Station School’s next principal during the district’s May 19 business meeting.

Bartash joined SAD 17 three years ago as interim curriculum director, stepping into the role after the previous director Heather Manchester became acting superintendent. When Manchester assumed the superintendent position permanently, Bartash also was named permanent curriculum director.

She previously worked for RSU 10 as principal at Rumford Elementary School.

Hebron Station School’s principal is classified as a teaching-principal. Bartash will assume the half-time position of curriculum coordinator for positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) and instructional coaching, a federally funded role. The position was previously allocated to federal grant-writing filled by Melanie Ellsworth, who is retiring.

“Jill went through the committee process and was picked” as the best candidate, Shauna Broyer, director of Oxford and chair of the school board’s personnel committee. “She wants to be back working with students, which is a very important piece.”

Bartash succeeds the retiring Douglas Kilmister, who served as the Hebron’s school principal for the last two years and at Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway from 2019-2023.

While working as Hebron’s half-time principal Kilmister also filled the role of interventionist. The half-time interventionist position will now be posted.

Before Bartash was confirmed in her two new roles, the board voted to authorize the PBIS curriculum coordinator and another federally funded half-time position, that of Curriculum Coordinator for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). The MTSS coordinator requires administrative certification credentials, meaning other teaching-principals will be eligible to apply.

In a statement to the Advertiser Democrat, Bartash wrote: “Serving as the Curriculum Director for MSAD #17 over the past three years has been a sincere privilege. It’s allowed me to facilitate work that supports our students and teachers through the strategic plan, grow as an educational leader, and deepen my commitment to the Oxford Hills district and community.

“At the same time, this experience has reminded me how much I miss being part of a school community. I find great fulfillment in the daily interactions and direct impact that come with leading a school, and I’m excited to return to that work. I am also looking forward to continuing to support district-wide efforts, particularly in aligning professional development, instructional coaching, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). I believe in the great work that is happening here and am excited to be able to wear both hats!”

Other business

In other business, Christian Smith, CPA of Wipfli, LLP reported to the board that SAD 17’s financial audit for the 2023-24 fiscal year is now complete.

“The results of the audit are that it is unmodified and clean,” Smith said. “Which means financial statements are complete, they are accurate, and they include all required elements and disclosures as required by generally accepted accounting principles.”

Smith continued to explain that the district’s general fund balance ended at $1.1 million, which is a favorable result. “You had budgeted to spend down the fund balance by $2.1 million. You only spent it down by $1.4 million, which was a $600,000 favorable result and leaves $1.1 million that can be used during this year’s budget.”

Smith also told directors that the nutrition program operated in the black, closing out last year with a $230,000 surplus. A separate audit of federally funded grants also found it to have an unmodified and clean result.

“Your finance office under Carrie (Collie’s) guidance does very well,” he said. “We don’t have any adjustments. We didn’t see any deficiencies or difficulties in performing the audit.”

Directors voted to approve the building application to proceed with a new Oxford Hills Middle School. OHMS Building Committee members Mary Delano of Norway and Larry Griffin of Waterford spoke on behalf of the 16 volunteers on the committee to endorse the project and the Pine Street, South Paris location.

Griffin and Delano confirmed for the board that removal and site remediation of the current school building are included in Maine Department of Education’s financial support and answered questions about development and management of the school’s athletic fields property, which was donated to the district and contains covenants for its use.

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