OXFORD – This year, Oxford Superintendent Randy Squier will pull double duty as both the district’s top administrator and Primary School principal. During the budget process, when he first proposed reverting back to the administrative structure which was last used in Oxford in the late 80s, Squier said he would relocate the district offices to the primary building. But last night, citing concerns over logistics and space requirements, Squier informed Oxford’s board of education of his intention to leave the district’s administrative offices in their current location at the Middle School.

The announcement elicited opposition from more than one school board member, including Joe Spence, who joined the board on July 1.

“Who’s going to handle discipline?” asked Spence, who said as principal, Squier should have a physical presence in the primary building throughout the day. It was important, he explained, for him to be there to greet students when they got off the bus, handle any disciplinary referrals and, in general, to be accessible to kids, teachers and parents.

Board member Peter Heggie echoed Spence’s concerns.

“I think we should honor what we said to the public,” he said, reminding Squier of his previous statements on the matter.

Heggie also pointed out there is precedent in Oxford for the district’s top administrator to absorb the duties of Primary School principal as well. The last superintendent to do so was the late David Burroughs, who retired in 1988.