Respected Medomak Valley Principal Harold Wilson Passes Away

Recently retired Medomak Valley High School Principal Harold Wilson passed away this week, just months after being diagnosed with liver cancer and days after the district school board approved acting Principal Andrew Cavanaugh as Wilson’s permanent replacement.

Cavanaugh, who worked as a teacher and then assistant principal at the school, became acting principal after Wilson was diagnosed with liver cancer in February, went on leave, and later retired.

Wilson passed away on Monday, June 22, according to Cavanaugh.

“He was with his family, he was with his pastor, and apparently he went peacefully about 9:30 a.m.,” Cavanaugh said.

Neil Lash, a teacher at Medomak for the last 35 years, said he had known Wilson since before he officially came to work at the school.

“At the time [Wilson] was hired, I was the science department chairman and Mr. [Ronald] Dolloff was the principal and we were involved in the interviewing and hiring of Mr. Wilson. It goes back to the very first interview he had,” Lash said.

According to Lash, Wilson was hired as a chemistry teacher in 1990 and taught for a number of years before becoming assistant principal. Wilson took over as principal in 2006.

“He was a man of great faith and because his outlook was so optimistic, he had this transcending positive attitude about his students … all of the students,” Lash said. “Because of the spiritual depth and commitment that he had, he put everything into his job knowing that he was going to do his best and knowing that he wanted everyone else to do their best.”

“He was just a positive person and he took so much pride in all other accomplishments of the students and all the accomplishments of the staff. He was just, among other things, not only a great leader that way, but he was a cheerleader,” Lash said.

“He was a very nice person who listened to all sides, who listened to everyone. He respected everyone, and I think because of that people respected him,” Lash said.

Lash believes the community was, in some respects, more prepared for Wilson’s loss because his health issues had been ongoing over recent months.

“I think if it was sudden there would be a lot more of an outpouring of emotion, but I think we’ve had a lot more time to process that,” Lash said.

Now, the concern has turned to Wilson’s immediate and extended family, he said.

“The faculty and the community as a whole have rallied around, and it’s been quite a healing process that so many people have been involved in so many things to support him and his family. I think that’s been very therapeutic and I think quite helpful to his family,” Lash said. “Hopefully that will not stop because he has died. Hopefully that support for his family will continue.”

Wilson took great pride in Medomak Valley High School and encouraged the staff to make the school the very best it could be, Lash said. Though he said he hadn’t talked with Cavanaugh in any great depth about it, Lash expects Cavanaugh will continue Wilson’s legacy.

“They had a great relationship and talked at length about the issues in the school. I would be very surprised if it isn’t a continuation of a lot of ideas Mr. Wilson put forward,” Lash said.

Andrew Cavanaugh marches in Medomak Valley High School’s graduation on June 10. Cavanaugh has since been approved by the RSU 40 Board of Directors to become the school’s new principal. (D. Lobkowicz photo, LCN file)

Cavanaugh’s nomination to serve as principal of Medomak Valley was approved at the Regional School Unit 40 Board of Directors June 18 meeting.

Reached June 19, Cavanaugh said he’s glad to have the position and is looking forward to serving as principal, but at the same time the circumstances of his appointment are not what he would have chosen.

“I actually talked with Mr. Wilson about that and he said this is how things go and he was very supportive of me,” Cavanaugh said.

“It is a challenge because obviously it’s not something that I’m celebrating because my friend and mentor and boss is so, so, so, ill and that’s why I’m in this role. At the same time he’d be the first to say you’ve got to do your best and lead the school,” Cavanaugh said. “I hope to be able to do as good a job as he did.”

“I want to thank everybody that has provided me with support because here at the high school we’re really trying everything we can do to work together and be collaborative,” Cavanaugh said. “In that spirit, I think things are really going to go well because everybody’s a part of the process. It’s not just me.”

Cavanaugh said he worked as a teacher at Medomak Valley for six years before moving into the assistant principal slot vacated by Wilson when Wilson became principal nine years ago.

According to Cavanaugh’s nomination form, he has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine at Farmington, a Master of Arts degree from Webster University, and a certificate of advanced study from the University of Maine in Orono.

Cavanaugh’s starting salary in the principal position will be $88,500, according to the nomination form.

A total of six candidates applied for the position, and five were interviewed.