PHILLIPS — Following an executive session early in the Nov. 18 MSAD 58 school board meeting, board chair Kim Jordan announced that the school board had reached an agreement with Mount Abram High School Principal Michelle Tranten. Jordan said that this agreement included Tranten’s resignation within a week.
This announcement was met with cheers from a group of students and parents in the audience.
Jordan said that the school board would not comment further and added that the success of the students is important to the district and that they would work to minimize disturbances for students during this time.
The school board held a special board meeting on Nov. 16 with one item on the agenda: an executive session pursuant to M.R.S.A. 405 6 E, the legal rights and duties of the school unit. The executive session in the Nov. 18 meeting fell under the same heading.
During public comment, MTA student Julia Wells of Stratton addressed the board to say, “Thank you for hearing us.”
In the Oct. 21 board meeting Wells had presented the board with a petition for a vote of no confidence in Tranten. The board could not legally hear the complaint during the public board meeting and Jordan stated that there would be a meeting the following day to address the issue.
Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Kristina Stevens had previously submitted a letter of resignation on Oct 28; when the school board addressed correspondences to accept letters of resignation, Stevens stated her desire to revoke her resignation.
This request was greeted with enthusiastic cheers and yells from the apparent majority of the audience.
