By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

When a few people saw the nomination of Dr. Patricia Hayden as interim SAD 61 superintendent on the school board’s agenda for Monday night, they called Al Smith.

“Are you sick?”

“Did you get fired?”

“Are you doing something else?”

Yes, Smith is retiring after a 39-year career in education, but he could be back at the SAD 61 helm within 30 days — if the local school board is interested in hiring him.

Like over 2,400 state workers, Smith is opting to take advantage of a law that allows those under the Maine State Retirement system to start collecting his pension, while also re-entering the workforce to earn a full paycheck. Smith made the move when state law was recently changed dropping an earlier provision that called for an individual to only earn 75 percent of their previous salary while collecting retirement despite working full time and no longer forfeiting his superintendent certificate after five years.

“To me, that (loss of certification) was not right. I’ve worked too hard,” Smith said in a phone interview Tuesday morning. “You never know what the Legislature is going to do next (since I’ve been a superintendent, it has gone back and forth on this law three times), so being at retirement age, it makes sense to roll the dice.”

Smith will officially retire on Sept. 30.

Dr. Hayden, who is the district’s assistant superintendent, will take over the helm on Oct. 1 and lead SAD 61until the end of the month.

On Nov. 1, Smith can apply for the superintendent’s position. He is “hopeful” the school board will hire him.

School Board Chairwoman Janice Barter said the superintendent position will be “internally” posted.

“Hopefully, I’ve done an adequate job and enough that the board is interested in hiring me. I hope we’re on a similar page,” Smith said. “I feel we are headed in the right direction…I still really enjoy it. I like the job. It’s been an excellent fit.”

Smith is in his sixth year as SAD 61’s Superintendent of Schools. If Smith is re-hired, SAD 61 will realize about a $15,000 savings since the district will no longer contribute to his state retirement. While Smith declined to indicate his present age, he did note that when he entered the education field, his retirement age would be 60. Today, those entering the profession are slated to work until they are 65 before they are eligible for retirement.

The law was created to help school systems retain individuals in wake of shortages of replacements, such as small pools of candidates for administration or rural school systems seeking out specialty teachers such as physics and Advanced Placement.

Often referred as “double dipping,” Smith sees it differently. He pointed to those who retire from military service, receiving full benefits, but then choose to return to the workforce as a civilian, thus collecting two paychecks. Smith said he knows a person who left the military, but was rehired as a civilian to work the same position.

According to a 2018 WGME report, state records indicated that about 2,400 public employees were receiving pensions and paychecks. As one superintendent, who retired after 24 years and then was rehired by the same school district, interviewed for the story said, “I’ve earned the retirement benefit and now I’m earning the compensation afforded to me by (working for the school district)…There’s no impropriety associated with that.”

Smith said he would make himself available for assistance to SAD 61 and Dr. Hayden during the 30-day wait period.

In other school board news:

Board member resigns. Naples School Board member Alison Caulfield has resigned. In a letter dated Sept. 9 to Board chairwoman Janice Barter, Caulfield said, “It is with great regret that I am tendering my resignation to the SAD 61 School Board. I find myself unable to fulfill my duties as a Naples representative to the School Board. I have enjoyed my time on the Board, and would consider returning should my circumstances change. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the families of the Lake Region School District.”

Stipends approved. Directors approved a $1,343 stipend for Eleanor Botka as a mentor for teacher Kelsea Carter; and $1,000 stipend for Jessica Daggett as a Performance Evaluation Professional Growth Committee member.

Activities stipends approved were $671.50 to Katie Cash-Staley and Karen Bolduc as LGBTQ co-advisors at Lake Region High School.

Personnel hires. Michael Porter as a special education Ed Tech III at Lake Region Middle School (this is a new position; there were eight applicants, five were interviewed). Earned a bachelor’s degree in Theology/Youth Ministry from New Brunswick Bible Institute. Previously, he was a substitute te4acher/Ed Tech III in SAD 17;

Jessica Jensen as a special education Ed Tech I at Songo Locks Elementary, replacing Sarah Lajoie, who resigned. There were eight applicants and six were interviewed. Earned an associate’s degree in Mental Health from Kennebec Valley Technical College in Fairfield. She previously was a training specialist/quality assurance at Morrison Center in Bridgton;

Thomas Durkin as a special education Ed Tech (Day Treatment) at Lake Region High School, replacing Lynn Nadeau, who resigned. There were eight applicants, and seven were interviewed. Earned a master’s degree in English from State University of New York at Oneonta. He previously was an English teacher at Briarcliff Manor Schools in New York;

Clarissa D’alvia as a school bus monitor. There were six applicants, five were interviewed. D’alvia worked as a bus monitor for RSU 57 (Waterboro, Shapleigh and Lyman) for three years.

Resignations. Larry Stevenson Jr. as an Ed Tech at Lake Region Vocational Center; Seth Johnson as a special education Ed Tech at Lake Region Middle School, effective Sept. 20.

Transfer. William Libby from a maintenance technician to maintenance technician/maintenance coordinator; Steve Porter from a custodial position at Songo Locks Elementary to a district maintenance technician position.

Grants. SAD 61 received grants of $24,410 (Lake Region Middle School) and $16,280 (Stevens Brook Elementary) from the USDA/Department of Education’s Fresh Fruit and Veggie Program.