HOLDEN, Maine — A school unit that serves students from seven towns in Penobscot and Hancock counties has chosen an interim superintendent.
Kenneth Smith of Islesboro, who has a long history of leading Maine schools, officially will assume his new position July 1, Rusty Gagnon, board chairman of Alternative Organizational Structure 81, said Friday.
AOS 81 consists of Regional School Unit 63’s member towns of Holden, Eddington and Clifton and Community School District 8’s member towns of Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond and Osborn.
Smith, who has entered a year-long contract with AOS 81, will work in the two districts for at least 138 days during the 2015-2016, school year. His primary office will be in the central office at Holbrook Middle School in Holden.
According to an announcement Gagnon posted on the school unit’s website, Smith holds a doctorate in education administration from Vanderbilt University. He earned his master’s degree in education administration and his bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with a major in science and a minor in history, from the University of Maine.
Smith also has been a National Science Foundation fellow in microbiology at Indiana University.
According to Gagnon, Smith taught at the middle school and high school levels before moving up to principal and superintendent levels of responsibility throughout Maine and in Plymouth, New Hampshire.
“His accomplishments are many, including improved academic performance, curriculum, high finance and budgeting, grant writing, school transportation, special education, athletic programs, improved administrative communication and involvement in the funding and construction of several new schools,” she said in announcing the new hire.
Smith’s most recent superintendency was with the Millinocket School Department.
Gagnon said Friday that Smith’s contract is for one year because of the possibility AOS 81 may dissolve, should member town voters decide to go that route. A vote could take place as soon as November, she said.
Smith succeeds former Superintendent David Anderson, who also served as principal of Holden School before his recent retirement.