Bucksport’s longtime public safety chief is leaving his job to take a new position with Regional School Unit 25.
Local schools Superintendent Dr. Josh Tripp told the RSU board last week that a new district-wide position has been created: Coordinator of Student Behavior and School Safety.
The new position, which will be housed at Bucksport Middle School, is designed to address student behavior concerns, offering support to staff and helping to build student/staff relationships across the district.
“While this is a new position, it is still within the confines of the recently passed budget,” said Tripp.
Sean Geagan, who announced this month that he is retiring as Bucksport Public Safety Director, has been offered the position. Geagan has accepted and was officially approved by the school board at the June 16 meeting.
“After 37 years working in public safety, I am ready for a new adventure,” Geagan said. “Everything I have done has really happened at the right time.”
Geagan has held many positions locally over the years and was Bucksport’s public safety director for the past seven years and the town’s chief of police for ten years prior to that.
“I started out at the University of Maine in education. Both of my parents were teachers for 37 years. I have been here for 37 years. Timing is everything,” said Geagan. “I am excited for this new opportunity.”
Tripp’s wide vision of the position includes supervising students during key times including arrival, dismissal, lunch, and passing periods; developing and implementing procedures to ensure safe school facilities and grounds; supporting and reinforcing student behavior expectations and school discipline systems; communicating and referring behavioral concerns to administration; and, collaborating with school personnel on safety planning and school climate initiatives.
For Geagan, his ultimate goal is to see the students be successful in life.
“It all starts in the school system. Kids have their days. They need to be given a chance,” Geagan said. “These decisions that they make now affect their lives. And life is not easy.”
Geagan’s career has come full circle after starting out in education, getting certification for teaching law enforcement courses and now returning to education. He will continue coaching football.
He believes the new role is “an extension of what I am doing without enforcement powers.” He leaves the Public Safety Director position on July 31; he said he will “greatly miss his employees,” but looks forward with hope and pride to focusing on education in the fall.