The Five Town Community School District (CSD) and Camden-Rockport Schools (SAD 28) have launched their search for an innovative, experienced, and student-centered leader to serve as the next Superintendent of Schools. Current Superintendent Maria Libby is retiring at the end of the school year after serving in the role for 11 years. 

"The School Board is engaged in a national search to find the best leader for our students and school community," said a news release from the districts. "We are also seeking community input through an online survey and a listening session on November 17 at 5:30pm which people can access here."

As part of the recruitment process, the Board launched a new Superintendent search website and video highlighting its educators, students, schools, and the quality of life in our Midcoast Maine community. Prospective applicants have until December 12 to apply. 

The release continued:

A Mission That Inspires

Guided by the simple but powerful mission: Be Kind. Work Hard. Keep Learning., our schools are committed to fostering a culture of academic excellence, innovation, wellbeing, and equity for all students. Our natural surroundings — mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, and the sea — aren’t just a backdrop; they are a part of how we teach and learn through a place-based, hands-on approach to education.

What Sets Our District and Community Apart

• Exceptional schools providing children with a world-class education to help them thrive. Over the last decade, our districts have led the state and the nation by expanding outdoor learning at all of our schools, including launching an innovative nature-based pre-K program; increasing opportunities for hands-on project-based learning at all grade levels, including creating a dynamic Innovation Center and makerspace at the high school, as well as a makerspace in our elementary school; focusing intently on student wellbeing, including ensuring a smartphone-free environment at all of our schools; empowering student leadership and choice; and providing multiple pathways for students to thrive in school and in life.
  
  
• A supportive, tight-knit community that values our public schools and experienced educators. The next Superintendent will join a community that values and supports public education. We know our neighbors, look out for one another, and believe in community, decency, and respect for all. As a school system, the Superintendent, Board, educators, and community work collaboratively. The next Superintendent would be able to focus on leading, innovating, and strengthening our schools without the divisiveness found elsewhere.
  
  
• Life in a beautiful coastal community in Maine. There are few places that combine natural beauty with world-class dining options, art and cultural opportunities, and a small-town feel. Our community is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in the country. We get to enjoy mountains, lakes, streams, ski slopes, hiking trails, and the ocean, all within walking distance or a short drive. The area boasts top-rated restaurants and our downtown streets are lined with galleries, boutiques, performance venues, and museums. 

About Our Districts

The Superintendent will lead two interconnected school districts that serve approximately 1,400 students across five towns:

• Camden-Rockport Schools (AD 28) serves students in PreK–8 from Camden and Rockport. Camden Rockport Elementary School, nestled in a spacious setting with woods and fields adjacent to the high school, serves students in grades PreK-4. CRES uses a responsive classroom structure, has a robust system of support for students, and features the first nature-based public PreK in the state of Maine. Housed in a beautiful new building, Camden-Rockport Middle School (CRMS) serves students in grades 5 – 8. CRMS has implemented a project-based learning model of curriculum and instruction that values students’ active engagement in the learning process.
  
  
• Five Town Community School District (CSD) serves students in grades 9–12 from Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville, and Rockport. Camden Hills Regional High School is a top-ranked public high school with robust academics; exceptional athletic facilities and teams; first-class theater, art, and music programs; a plethora of extra-curricular activities; a strong international program; and a community committed to developing students’ minds, bodies, and hearts. 

The Superintendent We Seek

We are looking for an experienced, visionary leader who will partner with the Board, educators, and our school community to deliver an exceptional education to our students and drive a culture of innovation, collaboration, sustainability, and a focus on what is best for student learning and wellbeing.

The next leader for our schools should:

• Lead with the values embedded in our mission: Be Kind. Work Hard. Keep Learning.
• Have a strong commitment to the focus areas of our strategic plan: Wellbeing, Experiential Learning, Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World, Sustainability, and Equity.
• Always be guided by what is best for kids and fair to taxpayers.
• Be a strong communicator who understands how to effectively engage various stakeholders, displays grace under pressure, and values clarity and transparency.
• Have a proven track record of educational innovation that is guided by evidence, empowers educators, and is student-centered.
• Be highly collaborative, including with the Board, educators, and community stakeholders.
• Be a trusted and valued member of their school community.
• Have a deep understanding of school budgeting and the ability to effectively communicate budget issues with the Board and public.
• Be solution-oriented and lead through big challenges with confidence, clarity, collaboration, and communication.
• Seek to grow community partnerships and relationships.
• Believe in place-based, hands-on learning.
  
  

The Process and Public Input

The Board is engaged in a rigorous process to select the next leader of our school district, with a national advertising strategy and a new website and video highlighting our schools and communities. A hiring committee comprised of Board members, district administrators, educators, and parents will be involved in the search.

Community members are encouraged to help shape the profile of our next Superintendent by filling out this short survey or by attending a virtual listening session on November 17, at 5:30 p.m. Join the listening session with this link.

Interested applicants can learn more about the position and how to apply here. The deadline for applications is December 12, 2025 and the next Superintendent would start their time with us on July 1, 2026. 

Watch & Learn More

We invite prospective candidates and the broader public to learn more about our schools and community by watching this video featuring educators, students, and parents talking about our schools and life in Midcoast Maine. Watch here.