By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
WASHBURN – Edward Buckley said he’s ready for the challenges he’ll face as the new interim superintendent of SAD 45.
Buckley replaces interim superintendent David Lyon, whose last day was Sept. 21. Though heading to Florida in the coming weeks, Lyon said he will be available to consult with Buckley as needed. A longtime educator in Aroostook County, Buckley’s first day on the job was Monday.
“I formally accepted the position Sept. 18,” he said. “They needed someone to fill in until this consolidation takes place, so they contacted me to see if I’d be interested.
“My contract runs through June 30, 2008,” said Buckley, “at which time we’ll see where we are.”
Born in Westfield, Buckley grew up in Bridgewater, and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono.
“I taught a total of 41 years,” he said, “33 years at Presque Isle High School, and was also the principal at Central Aroostook Junior/Senior High School in Mars Hill for four years. I have 45 years in education, and the last two years I’ve been working with the Maine Alternative Regional Certification (MARC) program working with uncertified teachers.”
During his years as an educator, Buckley earned a master of arts in teaching degree from Colby College and a certificate of advanced study in educational administration from the University of Maine at Orono.
At Presque Isle, he taught physics, was science department chairman, head teacher of the SAD 1 summer school and served terms as president, chief negotiator and grievance chairman of the SAD 1 Teachers Association. He also coached many teams in basketball, track and cross country. At Central Aroostook he was active in school change, a member of the Mars Hill Rotary Club and president of the Aroostook Principals Association.
Buckley is also on the parish council of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and is a director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine.
He said his involvement with the MARC program helped him decide to accept the SAD 45 position.
“It’s a school that I have worked at for the last couple of years … a couple of days a week, so I know the school very well,” he said. “Academically, it’s a good school. The position of interim superintendent is not a full-time one. They’re hiring me to work three to four days a week depending on the need.
“I didn’t want a full-time job,” said Buckley, “and they were adamant that it wouldn’t need to be.”
Buckley hopes to bring additional stability to the district.
“I also hope to improve morale,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it. It will be a challenge, but in a good way. My life was getting a little boring, but I think I’ve solved that.”
He and his wife Martha raised eight children and have four grandchildren. They reside in Presque Isle.
