SAD 29 Superintendent search on hold

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The search for a new superintendent for SAD 29 has been put on hold for the remainder of the school year.
    Interim Superintendent Ray Freve, in his first official meeting with the SAD 29 board Wednesday, informed the school board that the district would begin its second round of advertisements to fill his position in mid-December.
    “We are already getting some inquiries about what happened [with the first-round of interviews],” Freve said. “If you follow the process, you will have about a month of advertising the position. The search committee will have to review the applicants; then interview; and make a recommendation to the board. He or she will probably be the biggest decision you will make as a school board member.”
    Freve added he encouraged the board to conduct at least two interviews with whichever candidates they were serious about.
    “You need to make sure you are philosophically in-tune with whichever candidate you choose,” he said.
    Freve was appointed interim superintendent at the November meeting. He replaced Peter Edgecomb, who had filled the same position since July. Edgecomb stepped down as the interim superintendent at the end of the November meeting.
    Edgecomb was named interim superintendent for SAD 29 on June 28, following the abrupt resignation of Steve Fitzpatrick in what was termed a “voluntary conclusion” of his employment. Edgecomb has served three terms in the Maine House of Representatives, representing District 4 in Caribou and was seeking re-election to that post in Tuesday’s elections.
    When he came to the district, Edgecomb originally planned to stay with the district until Jan. 1 or until a suitable candidate was found.
    The district received seven applicants during its first candidate search in August and interviewed three of those seven, but did not recommend any of those candidates for the position.
    New board member Fred Grant suggested that the board as a whole should meet to discuss their ideas of the qualities they would like to see in their next superintendent.
    “It’s imperative that you do that,” Freve agreed.
    Freve also said he has met individually with all of the district’s personnel groups and called those meetings “fruitful.”
    “I gave them the opportunity to say a few things … whatever may have been bothering them,” he said. “I took some notes and had a chance to talk with a lot of individuals.”