ROCKLAND, Maine — The chairman of the Rockland-area school board says the resignations and departures of six high-level administrators are reason for concern.
The sixth departure was announced this week when Susan Stillwell indicated she was leaving to become principal at Appleton Village School. Stillwell served as principal at the Thomaston Grammar School and Owls Head Central School, but, under a reorganizational plan supported by the school board, she was going to be dropping the Owls Head position and taking on the principalship of the Oceanside High School West job beginning this summer.
Stillwell was going to succeed Oceanside West Principal Lawrence Schooley, who announced his resignation in April. Schooley is leaving to join Child Development Services as director of its Rockland center.
Superintendent Lew Collins resigned in February citing a lack of support from the school board. He and some administrators had been at odds over his management style and some of his decisions.
Oceanside High School East Principal Tom Forti announced his resignation in April, three weeks before Schooley made his announcement.
Business Manager Scott Vaitones’ final days on the job are this month, after his contract was shortened and he was not renominated for the post.
And last week, James Leonard announced he would be leaving as the district’s athletic/activities director to take a similar position at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield.
RSU 13 Board Chairman Steve Roberts admitted the series of departures are a concern.
“Anytime you lose this number of upper level staff, it’s a reason for concern,” he said.
He said he was disappointed with the departures, saying the employees are valued members of the district.
“I don’t want to paint a dire picture, but every organization needs pillars,” he said.
Interim Superintendent Wilhelm acknowledged it was unusual for a district to have this many high-level staffers leave at one time.
Board member Sally Carleton of Owls Head said she believes it is simply a matter of coincidences in which several individuals saw job opportunities they wanted to take.
Neal Guyer, the director of school improvement, will be adding the Owls Head principalship to his duties under the reorganizational plan supported by the board last month.
Carleton said the board will need to do something to help support the staff and district.
The board has been beset by turmoil for much of the last two years, ever since it began the search that ultimately led to the hiring of Collins in July 2012. Last week, some of that unrest was still evident. After unanimously voting to re-elect Roberts as chairman for the next 12 months, two board members — former Chairwoman Esther “Tess” Kilgour of Rockland and South Thomaston board member Christine Curtis — voted against re-electing Loren Andrews as vice-chairman, even though he was unopposed.
The six administrators who are leaving are among the 10 who signed a letter to the board in October, expressing concern about Collins’ management. Several board members criticized the administrators for their letter.
Last week, the board authorized negotiations to hire Leon Levesque as its latest interim superintendent. Interim Superintendent Michael Wilhelm is working a few days a week during June until Levesque comes on board. Levesque served as superintendent for the Lewiston school system from 1998 until 2011.
A search committee for RSU 13 is reviewing eight applicants for the more long-term position of superintendent.
Roberts also said a search committee has begun interviewing candidates for the Oceanside High School principal job.
Wilhelm said a search committee is being formed to seek a business manager.
RSU 13 consists of Rockland, Thomaston, St. George, Owls Head, South Thomaston and Cushing. The district has slightly fewer than 2,000 students.