PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The School Administrative District 1 board of directors decided last Wednesday night to conclude its search process for a new superintendent and reopen the position with a new start date of July 1, 2015.
At the Sept. 3 board meeting, directors had unanimously voted after an executive session to authorize the superintendent search committee to start the negotiation process with Tonya Arnold of Lovell, who is the principal at Lake Region Middle School in Naples.
After last week’s executive session in Mapleton, however, directors announced they were concluding the search and would re-advertise the position shortly.
Gehrig Johnson, who has been the superintendent for 30 years, originally announced his plan to step down on Dec. 31 during a Sept. 11, 2013, meeting. He has since agreed to continue in the position until a new superintendent has been hired.
“I will continue as superintendent until July 1 or such time that they can locate a good match for the superintendency,” said Johnson, noting that the search process typically takes about eight months.
Johnson will remain under his contract of $121,000 per year.