Raymond Superintendent Sandra Caldwell will take on a new position in the Windham-Raymond School Department, one that will have her helping to align curriculum and mentor new faculty, among other duties.

The Windham-Raymond School Board voted last night to name Caldwell as director of teacher and program development, a new position created by Caldwell and Superintendent Sandy Prince. Caldwell’s contract, extended through 2011 by the Raymond School Committee and thus inherited by the new consolidated district with Windham, stays the same. She is being paid $69,836 this year for a part-time (three-fifths) position.

“It was really needs-based,” said Prince. “She really wanted a meaningful position. So we looked at our needs, and we looked at our strengths.”

Creating the position is one step in consolidating the Windham and Raymond school departments. Existing contracts from both departments must be honored under state law, so the new school board has to figure out how to deal with duplicative positions.

In some areas, like transportation, where Raymond’s director has retired, the problem of overlap has been solved by attrition. In others, like food service and special education, one of the directors has been given the lead job while the other will add extra support and assistance, said Catriona Sangster, school board member.

For instance, Windham Special Education Director Linda Powell has been hired as the director of the new consolidated district, while her Raymond counterpart, Pat Menzel, will remain as a coordinator focused on Raymond, Sangster said.

While it is difficult for some to swallow the extra contracts, most of which run through 2011, consolidation presents its share of difficulties, and the extra manpower can be useful if used correctly, Sangster said.

“There is extra work to be done in melding the two districts,” said Sangster. Just because the two communities are now one large district does not eliminate the need for oversight. “There still has to be a manager in Raymond,” she said.

As those contracts reach their end point, the board will have to examine each position and decide on its future, Sangster said.

Until then, Caldwell’s experience will be an asset to the district, Pennels and Prince said.

As part of the new role, Caldwell, along with Curriculum Director Chris Howell, will look at what is offered at Windham Middle School and Jordan Small School in Raymond, and help decide how classes should be aligned.

“There may be situations where Windham might not be offering something that Raymond is, and that might be OK. We just won’t know until we examine it,” Prince said.

With the new school department ready to take effect July 1, continuity is of the utmost importance, School Board Chairman Toby Pennels said. Caldwell’s experience leading Raymond will be an asset, he said.

“She’s more familiar with Raymond than anyone,” Pennels said.

Caldwell will also oversee professional development for the district’s educators, paying special attention to new faculty. Research shows that 30 percent of new teachers leave the profession within four years, Prince said.

“I see Sandy having monthly meetings with the new staff members. It’s also important for the new staff members to connect with each other to know that there are other new teachers. It’s kind of overwhelming to walk into a classroom for the first time,” Prince said.

Caldwell’s work in that area is also attractive to the board, Pennels said.

“We really wanted to support continued education and professional development with our staff,” he said.

Also under Caldwell’s purview will be the school district’s new Infinity Campus system for tracking student achievement. She will help with the district’s response to students who are falling behind, and will work with teachers and administrators to push the student intervention program forward, Prince said.