PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Brian M. Carpenter has been hired as the next SAD 1 superintendent. He will succeed Gehrig Johnson, who retired June 30, 2015.
The SAD 1 board of directors voted unanimously to approve Carpenter to the post.
According to board chair Lucy Richard, the district was “fortunate to have many highly qualified applicants for this position.”
“Part of our process was to narrow down what were the most important qualities that we were looking for in the next superintendent,” she said. “Leadership was at the top of the list, and Brian comes to us with proven leadership abilities. He has been a superintendent in several sized schools, has acted as curriculum director, finance director, and has held high responsibility positions in the Army including Strategy, Plans, and Policy Directorate at the Pentagon.
“Being an Aroostook County native, and a graduate of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, makes us comfortable that he has an insight into the reputation and standards that we have throughout our district,” Richard said, “and understands that the board expects this to continue.”
Carpenter spent three years as the RSU 20 superintendent. RSU 20 has schools in Belfast, Belmont, Morrill, Northport, Searsmont, Searsport, Stockton Springs and Swanville.
He said he was interested in applying for the local position because of the wonderful school system found in SAD 1.
“The school system has a great reputation; it’s excellent,” said Carpenter, 60, in a phone interview. “I was interested in the opportunity to work in that system and not be involved with the political situations that are happening elsewhere in the state such as withdrawals and things of that nature.
“Here in RSU 20, I’ve had to deal with withdrawals, the disorganization and dissolution of RSU 20. We have three separate entities now,” he said. “Being the SAD 1 superintendent will allow me to focus a little more on the educational aspect instead of the deorganization aspect. I’ll be able to focus on advancing the programs, teachers and everything else associated with education forward from where it is now.”
Carpenter said his short-term goals for the district are to “listen and learn.”
“I’ll talk with administrators, teachers, people in the community, business interests, the post-secondary institutions, the organizations in the community (Rotary, Kiwanis and Elks) … whoever wants to talk to me,” he said. “I want to get around to the various towns and talk to the selectpersons and get to know the community, and what they see as their vision of the future for education within SAD 1.
“My long-term goal is to move the district forward to wherever it wants to be. How do we interweave the vision and mission as we move through the time frame to improve the education for all students so that they are getting what they need, and once we send them off to post-secondary education, they’re not taking remedial classes,” said Carpenter. “I guess the bottom line is that we provide them the education opportunity so that they can do whatever they want to do with their lives once they depart from the halls of Presque Isle High School, and we open up every avenue for them while they’re in high school.”
Originally from Ludlow, Carpenter graduated from Houlton High School in 1972.
“I look good in black and white [Houlton’s school colors], but I look good in blue and white, too,” he laughed.
After graduating from high school, Carpenter attended the University of Maine at Orono where he received an associate’s degree in civil engineering technology.
“I graduated in 1974, surveyed for a while, and then went off to the military,” said Carpenter. “From the military, I came back and went to UMPI where I received a bachelor’s degree in education.”
He graduated from the University of Southern Maine twice — once with a master’s of science degree in education administration, and with a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership. He also has a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa.
Carpenter was in the Army — both active and reserve duty — 34-plus years. “Thirty as an officer, and the rest as enlisted,” he said.
Carpenter said he thinks his military background lends itself to the position of superintendent.
“I’m able to plan and have a vision,” he said. “I worked at the Pentagon in operations. I was a chief of staff down there for one of the directorates in the G/3 division of the Pentagon,” he said. “I coordinated and administered the daily operations for over 1,100 individuals. In that position it gave me the opportunity to deal with people from around the world, including politicians, and with the political aspect of the superintendency, that definitely comes in handy.”
Though it’s been years since Carpenter was a student at UMPI, he’s no stranger to The County. His wife, Lisa, has family in Madawaska. They have a nearly 3-year-old son. He also has one grown daughter.
Carpenter began his new duties as SAD 1 superintendent July 1.
“I’m looking forward to coming to Presque Isle and doing my best to move the schools forward,” he said.
