Jay Charette, Regional School Unit 38 superintendent of schools, listens Thursday during a special board meeting at Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield. The meeting was called to allow public comment regarding a teachers union survey that was critical of the administration.  Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

READFIELD — Nico Martinez-Nocito, a senior at Maranacook Community High School, pleaded Thursday with the Regional School Unit 38 board of directors to listen to the teachers.

Student Nico Martinez-Nocito addresses the  school board Thursday during the Regional School Unit 38 meeting at Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

“We learn in school about self-advocacy. We’re told to go to teachers when we have problems. A wonderful idea, but how am I supposed to develop that level of relationship with a teacher when they might soon leave because of problems with the upper administration? How am I supposed to believe self-advocacy is effective when the teachers I look up to advocate for themselves and they aren’t listened to with respect?

Is that the example you want set for me, for us, for the leaders of tomorrow?” Martinez-Nocito asked.

The RSU 38 board held the special board meeting to discuss a letter sent by 21 former school officials and published in the Kennebec Journal, and to allow teachers and community members to share their input through public comment. 

Board Chairperson Shawn Roderick speaks Thursday during the Regional School Unit 38 meeting at Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Seven people spoke, including Martinez-Nocito, mostly on the need for better communication and support from administration to teachers and staff.  

The letter came in response to veteran Maranacook Community Middle School teacher Dan Holman’s public comment in June. Holman shared survey information collected by the district’s teacher union that gathered responses critical of Superintendent Jay Charette’s leadership. When Holman mentioned the survey, Charette said his comment was “illegal” and shut Holman down. 

Holman told the Kennebec Journal he sent several emails to Charette and board Chairperson Shawn Roderick after the June meeting, including one with the open letter from community members, but received no response.  

Dan Holman speaks to the board of directors Thursday during the Regional School Unit 38 meeting held at Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Roderick opened the meeting with a few remarks and said the board can’t comment on personnel issues, per policy, but said the board is not “hiding behind” the policy either. Charette did not speak at the meeting. 

“As we all know, there were news stories that came out after the board was done meeting (for the school year) and because of technology, no board members received it (the letter from the teachers),” Roderick said. “We didn’t get anything from Mr. Holman. Those are the facts.” 

Around 40 people attended the meeting, and those who spoke to the board were loud and clear with their concerns.

Tara Wicks, school counselor at Wayne Elementary School, spoke with candor about how decisions were made for her position without her input and that she doesn’t feel she is treated with respect from administration. 

Travis Magnusson, a Maranacook Community High School physical education teacher, said he disagrees with the survey and he doesn’t feel it speaks for the entire staff as he has only had positive experiences in the school district. 

Former science teacher Steve DeAngelis said the communication issue was prevalent even before he retired in 2022 and the teachers, who he said have an extremely difficult job, need to be met with support from administrators. 

Mount Vernon representative Christine Gatto-Shea listens Thursday during the Regional School Unit 38 board of directors meeting at Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Christine Gatto-Shea was the only board member who questioned Roderick on why the board still has not received the survey. Roderick said upon his legal review, he did not think it was fair to release the survey due to personnel issues. Roderick previously told the Kennebec Journal that he is not an attorney, but studies law in his free time. Roderick and Charette also questioned the validity of the survey. 

“I didn’t release it to the board and some of this was talked about and now there is a Freedom of Information request out there for the world to see it,” said Roderick. “When consulting legal counsel on my end, I didn’t feel comfortable releasing it. People can do with that what they wish. If the association wanted to send it to the board, they could choose to do so and they never chose to do so.” 

Gatto-Shea then asked Maranacook Area School Association Co-president Dylan Sirois if the survey was meant to go to the board. 

The survey gathered responses from 50 teachers, around half of the union, and gathered 60 pages of results that artificial intelligence condensed to 16 pages.

“Our point of contact is the board chair. We didn’t feel comfortable printing it off and putting it in front of board members,” said Sirois. 

Moving forward, Holman urged members of the board of directors to visit schools by attending events, volunteering for field trips and regularly talk to staff and students. 

Roderick told the Kennebec Journal after the meeting that it was great to see the passion from community members and teachers who clearly care about the district.

“I think it’s all based on (one’s) experience in the district,” he said. “We need to have more forums where people can voice their opinions and I’m looking forward to the board discussion.”