Edgecomb settles in as interim SAD 29 superintendent

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Peter Edgecomb of Caribou is no stranger to helping school districts transition from one leader to the next.
    A retired teacher and superintendent, is a graduate of the University of Maine in 1963. He was named interim Superintendent for SAD 29 on June 28, following the abrupt resignation of Steve Fitzpatrick. As interim superintendent, he is now charged with helping the district find a new, permanent leader, something he has done twice for districts in the southern Aroostook area.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
AT WORK — Peter Edgecomb of Caribou goes over some paperwork at his desk in the SAD 29 Superintendent’s Office.
    In  2001, Edgecomb served as interim director for the Southern Aroostook Vocational Education program for about four months when it was in need of finding a new vocational director. Prior to becoming a superintendent, Edgecomb was a vocational director and teacher.
    In 2005, he returned to southern Aroostook to serve as interim superintendent for SAD 70 as that district searched for a new leader. He was instrumental in the hiring of current SAD 70 Superintendent Bob McDaniel.
    “That search began in August and it took about two and a half months to find the right candidate,” he said. “From all the reports I have heard, that district has been very pleased with him [McDaniel].”
    Edgecomb was a superintendent for two years at Jonesport-Beals and later for Union 122 (Woodland, New Sweden Westmanland and Stockholm).
    As the interim SAD 29 superintendent, Edgecomb is responsible for maintaining the daily functions of the district, which can include meeting with the administration, contract negotiations, hiring employees and budget issues. He is also going to be involved with the district’s regionalization talks with SAD 70.
    “The staff here has been extremely helpful,” he said. “I’m very impressed with the staff here. SAD 29 is the ideal size for a school district to provide the best education for the kids.”
    Edgecomb is currently serving his third term in the Maine House of Representatives, representing District 4 in Caribou. He said his experiences serving as an interim superintendent were beneficial to his role in the state legislature.
    “I served on the education committee in the state legislature,” he said. “Having first-hand knowledge and experience with the educational systems were very helpful for me in the legislature.”
    While the legislature is currently on break for the summer, Edgecomb said he plans to run for his final term in November.
    “They understand here that my job here [in SAD 29] can’t go beyond Jan. 1,” he said. “That’s assuming I get re-elected. It’s my hope to have this search wrapped up before the November election.”
    Edgecomb said the search for a new superintendent will likely take at least two-and-a-half months.
    “It’s awfully hard to do something like this in less time than that,” he said. “A lot will depend on if we find a suitable pool of candidates and when those candidates will be available.”
    SAD 29 is in the process of advertising the vacancy.