Minutes of June 11, 2026

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING OF June 11, 2026

Current Board Members- 

        North Berwick-  Lauren Janousek, Kate Whalen, Richard DeCato

                           Berwick- Alison Herlihy, Marissa Tasker, Peg Wheeler

                           Lebanon- Nancy Sewell, Jeridene Basko, Melissa Cyr 

(For a full account of this meeting please review the video here…Link you can choose to view the transcript in progress by clicking CC for subtitles.)

(present for the exec. Session: Ms. Wheeler, Ms. Janousek, Mr. DeCato, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Tasker,  Ms Cyr,  Ms. Whalen and Ms. Basko )

Executive Session 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6)(A) Evaluation of

Officials/Appointees/Employees:

Ms. Janousek made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Tasker to go into executive session pursuant to Executive Session 1 MRSA 405§(6)(A) Evaluation of Officials/Appointees/Employees. All members voted in favor and the motion passed. In at 6:34 pm. Out at 7:02 pm. 

A meeting of the Board of Directors was held in person at Noble Middle and High School on June 11, 2026 at 7:05 pm with all members attending in person.  

There were 5 in  the audience. 

Pledge of Allegiance

Ms. Basko made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler to add “other” after the Superintendent’s Update. 

Ms. Wheeler read the public input statement. 

Public Input: 

None at this time. 

Minutes: 

Ms. Janousek  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Basko to accept the minutes of May 14, 2026.  All members voted in favor and the motion passed. 

Ms. Janousek  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Basko to accept the minutes of May 21, 2026. All members voted in favor and the motion passed. 

Ms. Janousek made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler  to accept the minutes of May 28, 2026 as amended.  All members voted in favor and the motion passed. 

Ms. Cyr  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Janousek  to accept the minutes of June 4, 2026 as amended.  All members voted in favor except Ms. Basko and Ms Tasker and the motion passed. 

Budget Ratification/ Signing of Warrants for FY’27 Town Assessments

Budget Ratification

The Superintendent then shared the ratification of the vote for the referendum. 

Yay Nay

Town of Berwick 981 804

Town of Lebanon 573 675

Town of North Berwick  791 599

Total of the Vote:             2,345 2,078

Ms. Wheeler  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Cyr  that the Computation and Declaration of Votes dated and attached here to be approved and it was further voted: That the Computation and Declaration of Votes be entered upon the records of Maine School Administrative District No. 60.

It was further voted: That a certified copy of the Computation and Declaration of Votes be sent to each of the Municipal Clerks of the member municipalities within Maine School Administrative District No. 60.

It was further voted: That any Board member participating in this meeting remotely in

accordance with Policy BED and approving this Vote may sign the Computation and Declaration of Votes (i) by signing a counterpart of the Computation and Declaration of Votes; (ii) by signing with an electronic or digital signature; or (iii) by signing in person at a later date. All members voted in favor except Ms. Basko, who opposed, and the motion was passed. 

Signing of Warrants for FY’27 Town Assessments

Ms. Janousek  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler that the Warrant for Assessment of Tax and the Assessment Schedule and Notice of Installments for each member municipality prepared by the Treasurer for fiscal year 2027. All members voted in favor except Ms. Basko, who opposed, and the motion passed. 

SRRF Adopt a Resolution 

The Superintendent then shared the ratification of the vote relating to the issuance of bonds or notes of the District for minor capital project purposes. 

Yay Nay

Town of Berwick 1161 703

Town of Lebanon   677 563

Town of North Berwick   877 523

Total of the Vote:             2,715 1,789

Ms. Wheeler made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Cyr  that the Computation and Declaration of Votes dated and attached here to be approved and it was further voted: That the Computation and Declaration of Votes be entered upon the records of Maine School Administrative District No. 60.

It was further voted: That a certified copy of the Computation and Declaration of Votes be sent to each of the Municipal Clerks of the member municipalities within Maine School Administrative District No. 60.

It was further voted: That any Board member participating in this meeting remotely in

accordance with Policy BED and approving this Vote may sign the Computation and Declaration of Votes (i) by signing a counterpart of the Computation and Declaration of Votes; (ii) by signing with an electronic or digital signature; or (iii) by signing in person at a later date.

All members voted in favor except Ms. Basko, who opposed, and the motion passed. 

Summer Board Dates

Upcoming Board Meetings:

June 16, 2026   5:00 Policy Committee-Remote

June 24, 2026   5:00 Board Workshop

July 16, 2026   6:00 Workshop- request from a Board Member to discuss high school grading 6:30 Regular Meeting

August 13, 2026  6:30 Regular meeting- Data Review and Review of Board Goals  

Second Policies 

Policy JICJ-Cell Phones and Other Personal Electronic Devices in Schools 

Ms. Cyr  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler to approve JICJ as amended. All members voted in favor except Ms. Tasker who opposed and the motion passed. 

Employment:

New Hire:

Kara Aiken- NMHS Science Teacher, Masters of Education University of Mass Lowell and Master of Science in Biology from Tufts University. Ms. Aiken has been teaching high school science in Groton, Mass. Ms. Wheeler  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Tasker to approve Ms. Aiken.  All members voted in favor and the motion passed.

Jessica Springer- NIS Math and Social Studies Teacher Gr 6, Bachelor of Science from University of Central Florida. Ms. Springer has been working as a gifted Math and Science Teacher at Volusia County Schools, Florida. Ms. Wheeler made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Tasker to approve Ms. Springer.  All members voted in favor and the motion passed.

Savannah Duke- Hanson School Special Ed Resource Room, Masters Degree in Educational Psychology and is currently working on her  Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work.  Ms. Cyr  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler  to approve Ms. Duke.  All members voted in favor and the motion passed.

Resignation:

Karen Adams. Hussey School Life Skills Teacher  Mr. DeCato made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler to accept the resignation of Ms. Adams with regret at the end of the 2025-26 school year. All members voted in favor and the motion passed. 

Melanie Stevens.  Ms. Wheeler  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Tasker  to accept the resignation of Ms. Stevens with regret at the end of the 2025-26 school year. All members voted in favor and the motion passed.

Elyse Galeucia. Ms. Cyr  made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Wheeler  to accept the resignation of  Ms. Galeucia with regret at the end of the 2025-26 school year. All members voted in favor and the motion passed.

Superintendent Update:

Special acknowledgement to Ms. Deb Kezar, Librarian at NBES. She  is retiring from the district after 38 years.  We are truly appreciative of her and her vast impact on students. Thank you Deb!

Special acknowledgement to Mr. Dones, Assistant Principal and Communications Director,  who has done a fabulous job and we appreciate him greatly. We want to acknowledge what a loss it is to our district for him to be leaving. 

Berwick Iron and Recycling Plant update and its impact on the Hussey School.

Other:

Ms. Basko asked about air conditioning in the various schools. 

Ms. Janousek noted that we are hosting the New England Track and Field Championships this weekend.

Ms. Cyr asked about the additional $300,000 that was put into the budget and how we will handle it. 

Public Input:

Mr. Shawn Works, North Berwick, challenged the board to  start off each board meeting with something positive in order to set a positive tone. 

Adjournment

Ms. Janousek made the motion and it was seconded by Ms. Basko to adjourn. All members voted in favor and the motion passed. Out at 8:11 pm. 

Respectfully submitted,

Audra Beauvais