Mark Kenney, named new Superintendent of Schools for SAD 44, is congratulated by school board member, Stephanie Herbeck. Rose Lincoln/Bethel Citizen

BETHEL — To much applause from the school board, Mark Kenney was elected unanimously Monday night, Dec. 19, by the SAD 44 School Board to be the next Superintendent of Schools.

Kenney responded, “thank you very much. This is a big deal. I appreciate your trust and we’re going to be ready on July 1 … I look forward to working with you on a different level.” Then came handshakes and hugs.

The district includes Telstar Middle and High School, the Crescent Park Elementary School and the Woodstock Elementary School. Kenney replaces Dr. David Murphy who has been in the position for 21 years.

Mark Kenney, has been principal of Telstar High School and Middle School since 2018. He had been principal for the Telstar Middle School, for the three years prior to his dual role.

Before becoming principal at the middle school, Kenney was dean of students there for a year. Kenney started his career in 2002 as the 8th grade middle school math teacher.

Following the meeting, Kenney said, “It’s an honor. I’m nervous, excited, all the emotions.”

He replaces Murphy who led the district through COVID, and other challenges like Newry’s withdrawal efforts and the state-mandated school consolidation process, and losing $2.5 million in state aid. Opportunities for students under Murphy’s leadership include forming a relationship with a school in China, initiating a dual enrollment program with Central Maine Community College in Auburn and leading the Telstar Freshman Academy.

As the board and others exited the meeting in the library at Telstar, the future superintendent of schools jumped back into principal mode, pushing tables and chairs back into place for the high school students that would be there in the morning.

Other business

Woodstock and Crescent Park School parent, Tonya Lewis, presented an update from the PTA at both schools during citizen comments. She talked about upcoming fundraisers and the trip both schools took to The Gem Theatre on Dec. 19 to see The Polar Express with cookies provided by the PTA. She thanked the Woodstock Fire department and parents for the tree lighting on the Woodstock common.

During board member comments, Stephanie Herbeck talked about Telstar Freshmen Academy. They had Dartmouth students work with them on soil testing and now they are working on their think tank projects, working with engineering students from University of Maine. Herbeck said they are working on introducing TFA to middle schoolers.

With regard to the bullying issues brought up at an earlier meeting, Herbeck said, “We are working on getting the administration as well as maybe some others to do a presentation to the board.”

Murphy listed several new hires, resignations and transfers in the schools.

He said they have been very busy with the Honeywell project at Crescent Park School which is underway. The first order for equipment has been put forward. Some preliminary work will be done during school vacation week. They are hoping to have all of the construction work done over the summer. They undertook a loan for an additional $225,000 for the project, which Honeywell spokesman Jim Lucey said, at the last meeting, is an overage.

Murphy said he hopes it will be a short-term loan because they have more unspent money in their undesignated fund due to reduced spending during COVID (fewer bus trips, field trips, and unfilled staff positions). “We have an undesignated balance that is going to be substantially higher than it typically is,” explained Murphy. They will take an article to town meeting that will ask voters to pay off the loan with the undesignated funds balance.

The board voted to appoint Tash Howard from Education Tech to Special Education teacher. They voted unanimously to up the wages for substitute teachers, substitute custodians, substitute food service workers, substitute secretaries, and substitute school bus drivers. All will be effective Jan. 1, 2023. “Getting substitute bus drivers is just as hard as getting substitute school teachers, maybe harder,” said Murphy.

The next school board meeting will be Monday, Feb. 13 at Telstar Library