New Miller School Principal Shawn Strack (left) and Medomak Valley High School Principal Daniel Joseph attend the Thursday, July 2 meeting of the RSU 40 Board of Directors meeting. Strack and Joseph will take over for Julia Levensaler and Linda Pease, respectively, both of whom retired at the end of the school year. (Christine Simmonds photo)
After seeing two of the district’s administrators depart at the end of the school year, the RSU 40 Board of Directors has hired new principals for Medomak Valley High School and Miller School.
The RSU 40 Board of Directors confirmed Daniel Joseph, of Falmouth, for the position at the high school during the Thursday, July 2 board meeting. Shawn Strack, of Camden, was confirmed as Miller School principal on May 17. Joseph replaces Linda Pease and Strack replaces Julia Levensaler.
Both new administrators attended the July 2 board of directors meeting.
After thanking the board for the opportunity, Joseph said he had toured MVHS with Facilities Director Brian Race and saw both the challenges and opportunities which the building would present.
In a separate interview, Joseph said he has appreciated the opportunity to get to know members of the RSU 40 community and learn more about the high school.
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve as principal and look forward to listening, learning, and building relationships with students, staff, families, and the broader community,” he said.
Joseph said he and his wife are in the process of listing their Falmouth home for sale in order to move to the Midcoast area.
According to the hiring paperwork from RSU 40, Joseph holds a professional-level certification as a building administrator through the Maine Department of Education. His contract began on Friday, July 3, and his yearly salary will be $129,621.
Joseph received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and teaching from the University of Vermont, in Burlington, Vt., and a master’s in educational leadership and administration from the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
He was most recently the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for grades K-5 in the Rochester School District in Rochester, N.H. Joseph was also previously principal of James W. Russell School in Gray and Memorial Elementary School in New Gloucester, and assistant principal at Windham High School in Windham.
Additionally, Joseph founded Competency-Based Education Solutions, an educational consulting business, in March 2017, and in 2020 he co-authored the book “Deeper Competency-Based Learning” with curriculum and assessment expert Dr. Karin Hess and learning and assessment specialist Rose Colby.
Strack, who had not been at the May meeting when his position was confirmed, said he had already started at Miller, and it was a great time so far. He was looking forward to a great year, and was excited to be at RSU 40.
In a separate interview, Strack said he and his wife chose Midcoast Maine because she was from Camden and her family still lived there. He said they had already relocated to Camden, and were excited to be living there.
According to the district’s hiring paperwork, Strack holds a professional-level certification for a superintendent through the Maine Department of Education. His contract began on Wednesday, July 1 and his yearly salary will be $119,000.
Strack received a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and an additional bachelor’s in English language and literature from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, N.Y. He received a dual master’s degree in literature and secondary education from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. He also received a certificate of advanced study in the School Building Leader program from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.
Strack was most recently the director of student support services at Boquet Valley Central School District in New York. He was also previously an English teacher at Northern Adirondack Middle/High School in Ellenburg Center, N.Y. and at New Milford High School in New Milford, Conn.
The next RSU 40 Board of Directors meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 16 in the central office, at 1070 Heald Highway in Union. For more information, call 785-2277 or go to rsu40.org.
