Wittine resigning as superintendent

School Union 104 Superintendent Arthur Wittine is resigning at the end of this school year to accept the superintendent's position for Union 93, which covers Blue Hill, Brooksville, Castine and Penobscot. His last day of work for Union 104 will be June 1, and he will begin his new job on June 4.

Wittine says his spending "three years as a weekend husband" is the reason he is relocating. "I need to be within commuting distance of my home in Ellsworth," he says, noting that he needs to be there helping his wife with his mother, who is in need of care because of health issues. His new office will be only 12 miles from his house.

"It's been nothing but great," he says of his time working with the Union 104 schools. "Wonderful, wonderful people. I love the kids," he comments. "I look forward to getting up every day and going to work."

"I have 21 very supportive school board members in the five towns. They all put kids first," he adds. Union 104 covers Eastport, Perry, Pembroke, Charlotte and Dennysville. "I enjoyed being able to get into the classrooms. That's what I enjoy the most."
As for school budget struggles in the municipalities, he says that has been "nothing out of the ordinary."

The chair of the Union 104 board, Eileen Curry of Perry, comments that she will be sorry to see the superintendent leave. "I think Mr. Wittine did a good job. He got the ball rolling on good programs for Shead. Hopefully the next superintendent can pick up where he left off."

She anticipates that the union board, which has not yet met to accept the resignation, will be advertising as soon as possible for a new superintendent, and she hopes that person will be hired by June. "I'm hoping that local people will apply for the position. In the past there have been problems with people who don't realize they have to go between five schools. I think it would work better if they live in Washington County."

The union board is scheduled to meet during the week of March 19 to accept the resignation and begin the process of finding a new superintendent.