By COLIN POWELL
The towns of Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine and Penobscot will begin a search for a new superintendent this month. Union 93 Superintendent Art Wittine first announced his decision to retire to individual school boards in July 2010, though his latest announcement accelerates his departure to December 31, 2009. Asked the reason for the change at the union board’s October 28 meeting, Wittine stated only “personal reasons.”
The application deadline for the position will be Tuesday, December 1, with an interview selection committee composed of five school board members, five principals and the central office special education director, choosing candidates to interview by December 4. The next week, hiring committees will interview each applicant and select finalists. After a holiday break, finalists will be interviewed on Saturday, January 9. Selection of the new superintendent will then take place on Tuesday, January 19.
Board chairman Joe Spinazola told the board that this time of year is optimal to be looking for a new superintendent, though he also added that if a candidate is found during this search process, they would likely not be able to start until the end of the current school year. In that case, the union board chairman and secretary would decide on an interim superintendent. The same would hold true if no suitable candidate is found after the search process concludes. Union board secretary Ben Wootten of Blue Hill pointed out that appointing an interim superintendent is perfectly fine, and is much more desirable than hiring someone too quickly.
The board discussed advertisements for the position and came to a consensus to put ads in the Ellsworth American and on the Web site ServingSchools.com. The board discussed the usefulness of placing ads in the Bangor Daily News and did not come to a conclusion. Spinazola noted that the tentative hiring process was based on Union 93 best practices, and added that he has been through three such searches and the process went fine.
Wittine, who has already retired from school administration once, has served as Union 93 superintendent for about two and half years.
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