Alan R. Smith is back as SAD 61’s Superintendent of Schools.

By a unanimous vote Monday night, the school board rehired Smith, who retired at the end of September and was replaced on an interim basis by Assistant Superintendent Patricia Hayden.

Smith took advantage of a Maine law that allows those under the state retirement system to start collecting a pension, while also re-entering the workforce to earn a full paycheck.

Smith made the move when state law was recently changed. dropping an earlier provision that called for an individual to only earn 75 percent of his/her previous salary while collecting retirement despite working full-time and no longer forfeiting his superintendent certificate after five years.

Once directors rehired Smith, Board chairwoman Janice Barter asked, “Would you like to join us (at the table)?”

Smith responded, “I would.”

“Nice to have you back,” Barter replied.

Later in the meeting, Smith thanked directors for having the “confidence” in him to continue to lead SAD 61.

In other school board happenings:

• Stevens Brook Elementary had a 94% participation rate of parents attending Parent/Teacher Conferences. Principal Turpin also noted that a book sale netted SBES $1,016.

• Longtime physical education teacher Roxanne Mayhew has been named Health Teacher of the Year. Also at Songo Locks Elementary, the school will soon have a student newspaper thanks to the interest of a fifth grader.

• Special Services Director Lisa Caron informed the board that several positions remain vacant including a Day Treatment post at the high school and ed tech jobs at all four schools.

• Facilities Committee chairman Phil Shane reported that a group led by Peter Lowell discussed some possibilities for the Bridgton Memorial School site. Shane said the process would be for the school district to turn the building and property over to the Town of Bridgton, which would then decide whether to turn the site over to the group for development.

At past meetings, district officials have said they will not release the property until specific plans arise to be sure those plans complement the nearby school facility.

Shane also informed the board that the scheduled review of the Crooked River renovation/expansion by the Casco Planning Board was postponed Monday night due to a lack of a quorum. The meeting has been rescheduled for Dec. 9.

• Donations accepted: $2,800 from an anonymous parent to fund a coach bus for a preseason varsity boys’ basketball tournament in Presque Isle; $300 from Granite & Cabinet Creations to Stevens Brook Elementary School Greenhouse Project; 17 cases of water ($300 value) from Poland Springs to Lake Region Middle School; a flute (a $250 value) from Community Help, Inc., of Bridgton to Lake Region Middle School; and $1,000 from Hannaford to Lake Region Middle School.

• Personnel moves: Peter Brunette was approved as an Ed Tech III at Lake Region Vocational Center, replacing Larry Stevenson Jr., who resigned. There were five applicants, and four were interviewed. Brunette holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Husson College and a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Education from Paul Smiths College of Arts and Sciences (N.Y.). Previously, he was an instructor with Windham Adult Education and self-employed in people skills development.

Julie Anderson was approved as a Resource Room teacher at Stevens Brook Elementary, replacing Laura R. Masciulli, who resigned. There were four applicants, and one was interviewed. Anderson holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of New England and a bachelor’s degree in social Work from the University of Southern Maine. She was recently a special education teacher/case manager at RSU 14, Windham.

Janice Deer resigned as a Special Education Ed Tech at Stevens Brook.

• Winter coaches: The following positions and stipends were approved:

LRMS: Doug Banks, eighth grade girls’ basketball; Kurt Berger, alpine skiing; Brian Crockett, seventh grade girls’ basketball; Chris Small, eighth grade boys’ basketball.

LRHS: Dana Caron, varsity girls’ indoor track; Scott Cushing, assistant varsity alpine skiing; Scott Davis, varsity alpine skiing; Chris Jordan, JV girls’ basketball; Alex Langadas, JV boys’ basketball; Dave Lepage, varsity ice hockey; Mark Snow, varsity boys’ indoor track; Brittany Perreault, varsity cheering; Paul True, varsity girls’ basketball.

Next meeting: Monday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m. at Lake Region Vocational Center Great Room.