Principal search underway at the Penquis Valley School

MILO — The search for the next principal of the Penquis Valley School is now underway, with interviews scheduled for later in the month, the school board learned during a May 2 meeting.

Superintendent Michael Wright said Principal Daniel Ross had emailed him his letter of resignation and this item was formally accepted by the directors.

“We put out immediately for a new principal,” Wright said. He said interviews are scheduled for May 15 and May 17 as a group of teachers and administrators will meet with the candidates.

“We do have a group of students who will meet with each candidate first,” Wright said. He said sessions with groups of students were held to address concerns with the school climate, and these resulted in a list of the questions for the principal candidates.

Ross was hired in September to succeed Jeremy Bousquet, who left Penquis after several years as principal and more than a decade working in the building to become assistant principal/athletic director at Old Town High School. Ross had previously worked in RSU 50 in northern Penobscot County and southern Aroostook County. He had been serving as assistant principal and athletic director at both Katahdin Middle and High School in Stacyville and Southern Aroostook Middle and High School in Dyer Brook.

“I would just like to thank Mike Rollins for just stepping up in the interim and also (athletic director) Jason Mills for stepping up,” Wright said. Previously the assistant principal, Rollins has been serving as interim principal for the complex.

In his board report Rolins wrote, “With all the changes as of late, our staff here at Penquis have continued to show great perseverance and professionalism. As a whole they have done an amazing job supporting me and our students. I would to especially thank Jason Mills for stepping up and being a tremendous support for me at the administrative level. Everyone has really stepped up as we move towards the end of the year and graduation.”

Rollins said the evening before Penquis Valley staff met and he said the morale among them is high.

In other business, Wright said on Thursday, May 10 SAD 41 residents would be heading to the polls to vote on an approximate $2.3 million heating system upgrade and energy efficiency project for the Penquis Valley School (please see story on page 1).

“If that is approved on the 10th we would have to call a special meeting for the next week, probably Monday or Tuesday night,” the superintendent said about May 14 or May 15. He said the referendum votes will need to certified and if approved SAD 41 officials can then start the project financing process.