SAD 67 board hires new superintendent

LINCOLN – A former Boston private elementary school principal will be paid $75,000 annually to be SAD 67’s superintendent, interim Superintendent Omar Norton said Tuesday.

The personnel subcommittee of the board of directors voted unanimously Monday night to conclude about 1.5 hours of negotiations with Michael Marcinkus, 56, of Ellsworth and give him the job. Marcinkus had earlier said he intended to take the position.

Board Chairwoman Rebecca Hanscom was pleased with Marcinkus’ decision.

“I think he is going to be a great fit for our district. He seems to have the same goals in mind that we do,” Hanscom said Tuesday. “I am very encouraged that he is coming here.”

Marcinkus seems likely to help keep the school system performing within state guidelines, to keep communication lines open with the community and to set high expectations for students and staff, she said.

Besides his work with the Boston archdiocese schools, Marcinkus has worked in Winter Harbor, Greenville, Bath and Calais. He began his Maine career as a special education teacher for kindergarten to grade eight in Lubec in 1995. He also was a school board member in Union 93 and Blue Hill.

He worked as vice president of trust and investments at Fleet Bank and Union Trust from 1987 to 1995 and was president of Freedom Financial Services in Plymouth, Mass., from 1979 to 1987.

Marcinkus will start Dec. 5. Norton, 72, of Eastport is due to finish at SAD 67 on Dec. 2, but said he expects to come back to the school system on his own time for about a week to help Marcinkus settle into his new job.

Norton replaced retired Superintendent Lawrence Coughlin on July 1. He said he enjoyed his time working for SAD 67, which serves Chester, Lincoln and Mattawamkeag, and will probably become an interim superintendent elsewhere after spending some time in Florida.

“As long as my health is good, as long as I can do a credible job and feel good about it, I will,” Norton said. “I enjoy helping people, and I am, I guess, fanatic on the prospects of what we can do for young people with education.”

During more than 50 years in education, Norton has taught at Lee Academy, worked 17 years for the Maine Department of Education, served four terms in the state Legislature, as a Republican from Winthrop, and served SADs 43, 50, 58, 26 (twice), 77, 31 (twice), 4, 12 and 29, plus Unions 104, 107, and 92.

Hanscom called Norton “top notch,” adding: “There is a reason why people keep calling him constantly. He’s good.

“He knows his business. He has many fine skills.”