UNITY — After a thorough search for a new superintendent, the 11 members of the Regional School Unit 3 school board voted to approve a familiar face within the district to serve as the next superintendent. 

Charles Brown, current principal at Mount View Elementary School, was approved by the school board at an April 22 special school board meeting. 

RSU 3 is in Waldo County and includes the towns of Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity and Waldo. The district includes Monroe Elementary School, Morse Memorial Elementary School, Mount View Elementary School, Mount View Middle School, Mount View High School, Troy Elementary School, Unity School and Walker Elementary.

Approximately 1,250 students are within the district and approximately 85 students from Mount View High School attend the Waldo County Technical Center.

Brown joined RSU 3 following four years as principal and athletic director of Rangeley Lakes Regional School and spent time as an assistant principal within Maine School Administrative District 6. 

He possesses administrative experience covering kindergarten through 12th grades and has taught first through eighth graders through nearly two decades in education.

Brown has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Maine at Farmington, in addition to a master’s in education administration and master’s in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix. He also holds a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership. 

Brown stated he has seen “a great deal of good work done by our staff” in recent years and intends to build upon that foundation. 

“I decided to pursue this position as an opportunity to continue the great work that RSU 3 has been working on, to lead a dedicated and talented staff, and to work with the larger community,” Brown said in a Wednesday morning interview. “I felt that, in this position, I could contribute to the communities of RSU 3 and help meet the needs of our learners.” 

Before he sets his goals as superintendent, Brown says he plans to meet with employees, students, parents and other community members to gauge feedback and ensure everyone has a say in the district’s future. 

In January, outgoing superintendent Dr. Paul Austin accepted the same role for Hingham Public Schools in Massachusetts. 

Austin has been the education field for over 25 years serving as a school social worker, school psychological services provider, student services director and assistant superintendent.

Austin began his superintendent role within RSU 3 in July 2015.

Prior to working for RSU 3, Austin was employed in leadership roles within the Brunswick School Department, School Union No. 74 and Central School District No. 14 in Damariscotta, Maine School Administrative District 53 in Skowhegan and Maine School Administrative District 38 in Dixmont.

Austin has been balancing RSU 3 duties and learning the ins and outs of his new school district and intends to follow that structure until the end of the academic year. 

With the search for a new superintendent completed, the district still needs to fill its assistant superintendent role as Jean Skorapa will be leaving at the end of May to become the superintendent of RSU 67, which serves the Chester, Lincoln and Mattawamkeag communities and is her hometown district. 

The district, of course, will now need to conduct a search for a new principal at Mount View Elementary. 

Reach George Harvey at: sports@penbaypilot.com.