RSU 26 board fills officer slots, approves MOU on coaching stipends and adopts AI guidelines

RSU 26’s Board of Directors completed its post‑election organizational items and took several personnel and policy votes during the meeting.

The board filled officer positions and committee assignments: the chair was re‑nominated and confirmed (vote recorded as 4–0–1) and Jake Eckert was appointed vice chair (4–0–1). The board confirmed members for standing committees including policy, curriculum and JPDC and designated representatives to regional bodies (UTC, Spruce) in votes recorded during the organizational portion of the meeting.

On personnel and compensation the board approved a memorandum of understanding between the RSU 26 Board and the Orono Education Association to reconfigure coaching stipends (the change affects the tennis program among others) and approved a slate of co‑curricular hires (baseball, softball, tennis, track and field coaches). The MOU motion and the co‑curricular slate were each approved unanimously (5–0).

In policy business the board also adopted a revision to its Generative AI (GAI) guidelines. The change removed a static list of approved tools and incorporated a process for the technology committee to vet instructional tools; it also added language to ensure parents may opt K students out of GAI use with advance teacher disclosure and alternative plans. That GAI motion passed 4–1.

Other routine actions included approving the minutes of Feb. 27, 2024 and several warrants (regular warrant 18, payroll warrant 18 and main purse for February), each carried by the board. The board closed the meeting with subcommittee reports and an adjournment motion that passed 5–0.