BUXTON – With Suzanne Lukas departing last month to lead a school district Down East, the Bonny Eagle school district has hired an interim superintendent with a lengthy education record and strong local ties.
Mark Eastman has led two Maine school districts for 25 years. He is contracted with School Administrative District 6 through the end of the year, although school officials are shooting to have a permanent replacement by September.
Working at SAD 6 is a sort of homecoming for the 66-year-old Eastman, who grew up in the SAD 6 town of Buxton but lived elsewhere during his career. His wife, Lucille (Grace) Eastman, also grew up in the local area. Eastman retired last June from the Oxford Hills district (SAD 17) after 15 years as superintendent. Prior to Oxford Hills, Eastman served for 10 years as the superintendent of the Central Aroostook School District in Mars Hill (SAD 42). Last year, the Eastmans moved to Limington, another of SAD 6 district’s sending towns.
Having grown up in Buxton, Eastman is a graduate of the second class ever to attend Bonny Eagle High School, a fact not lost on Eastman, who eventually went on to receive his doctorate from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“This is a nice opportunity to pay it forward and help the district out at a time when they are trying to find a (replacement),” Eastman said Monday, his fifth day on the job.
Eastman, who will earn $450 per day for as long as the district needs him, said he has no desire to lead the district permanently. At this point in his career, he said, he is enjoying interim assignments, consulting, mediating and other “generally short-term positions.”
With a wealth of knowledge of Maine education and what it takes to be a successful leader, Eastman will serve on the committee searching for a new superintendent. Another committee member, SAD 6 School Board Chairwoman Lila Wilkins of Hollis, said the 12-member search committee spent last week working through nine applications it had received for Lukas’ former position. After whittling those down, five in-person interviews will be held this week, Wilkins said.
In addition to Eastman and several board members, the committee is made up staff, parents and taxpayers, and other administration officials.
Wilkins said the district has hired Eastman up to the Christmas break to make sure the district has enough time to properly vet candidates.
“We are very happy to have Mark Eastman here,” Wilkins said. “He has had quite an impressive career and he has brought to us a perspective we were looking for.”
While Wilkins couldn’t disclose details on those who have applied for the position citing state law, she said, “I am encouraged that we have some really fine candidates, and I’m looking forward to the next round.”
Interim Superintendent Mark Eastman, a Buxton native, will leadSend questions/comments to the editors.
