ROCKLAND – At its regularly scheduled meeting March 2, the RSU 13 School Board voted unanimously to accept the results of the February 28 referendum results giving the district a green light to reconfigure the schools. 

RSU 13 consists of Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston and Thomaston.

Steve Roberts, RSU 13 board chairman, said he appreciated the confidence the communities had placed in RSU 13 and its future plans.

"I also want to note that we have a lot of work to do now," he said. "To move forward and meet the expectations we've created in our community."

Roberts said the board will be making appointments to two building committees.

"One for the high school, middle school, and one for the Owls Head School," he said. "I've just now began getting citizen volunteers and I will begin my appointments by our next meeting."

The board was treated to a presentation by the Cushing Community School. Boston Lamb, Avery Proctor and Owen Simmons presented what happens when you mix music and math. Natalie Hitz, Caitlin Lamb and Sophie Vose sang the National Anthem.

Tom Seekins, of Siemens Industry, Inc., presented the board with a check for $30,000. Seekins said Superintendent John McDonald's synopsis of what the school would do with the money got the district the grant.

"We get thousands of applications for STEM grant proposals to Siemens Global, not the local engineering company that we are here," he said. "Separate from that is a big push for STEM work because of our involvement with the school systems."

The Siemens Foundation has invested more than $90 million in the United States to advance workforce development and education initiatives in science, technology, engineering and math.

Seekins said this was the biggest grant by far the company has ever given in the Northeast.

"The way you got it was by nothing short of pure effort from John," he said. "Usually, we ask for just some kind of synopsis of what you're going to do with the money from a curriculum stand point. It could be two bullet points in an email, or even a half of a page, or a page at most. John gave us four pages of his complete outlook as it relates to the schools of the future."

In the superintendent's report, McDonald addressed the community information night that was held jointly with SAD 40, Five Town CSD and RSU 13, on February 28, on the benefits of a later start time for middle school and high school students.

"We had approximately 100 parents attend and I thought it was a good presentation," he said. "They asked many good questions and change is difficult for people. I won't brave a recommendation to the board until I am satisfied we have covered enough of the bases, answered enough of the questions, have solid schedules in place and feel confident that any change in our start time schedule is going to be a benefit."

McDonald said there would more than likely be another community forum. It would be held this time in a bigger venue. McDonald said he appreciated the turnout.