PRESQUE ISLE — The PROBUS Club of Aroostook held its monthly meeting at Northern Maine Community College Sept. 17, with 22 members and one prospective member present.
President Dana Crory called the meeting to order at 10 a.m. and program chairperson Ginny Joles introduced the guest, new SAD 1 Superintendent Brian Carpenter.
Carpenter has a very diverse background. He is from Aroostook County, the son of a a County potato farmer and the grandson of a dairy farmer. His mother and grandmother came from Canada. He was born in Houlton, raised in Ludlow and graduated from Houlton High School.
He continued his education, earning degrees from the University of Maine campuses at Orono and Presque Isle, the University of Southern Maine and the U. S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. He served a combined 35 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, and has more than 30 years’ combined educational experience as a teacher, principal and superintendent.
Carpenter told the group while he was growing up his mom always told him and his brother to “Get all of the education that you can; education is one thing that once you have it, no one can take it away.” He listened to this advice and is currently working on another master’s degree.
He considers the new position at Presque Isle High School as one of opportunity to lead and guide an already excellent system to even greater achievement and excellence. His vision is one of collaboration. Together great things can be accomplished, so much more than if done individually, he said.
Club members said Carpenter was very approachable and no question was too big nor too small. He has an open-door policy, welcomes all visitors and thrives on feedback from students, faculty and community members.
In other club business, the secretary’s and treasurer’s reports were accepted as read.
The next PROBUS meeting will be held Oct. 15, also at NMCC, in Reed Commons. Martin Puckett, Presque Isle City Manager, will share his vision for Presque Isle with members.
