AOS 93 has hired Jefferson Village School Lynsey Johnston to take the job of assistant superintendent and business manager.
The Jefferson School Committee accepted Johnston’s resignation Monday, Aug. 3 and voted to form a principal search committee. Al Vorhis, chair of the school committee, will chair the search committee too.
The committee will include five other members – another member of the school committee, two other residents of Jefferson, and two JVS teachers.
Johnston was the school’s principal for four years.
AOS 93 Superintendent Craig Jurgensen said the opening would be advertised as quickly as possible and applications would be accepted until Friday, Aug. 14.
“At that point, the committee will look at the applications and see if there is a suitable candidate. If not, they will repost the opening or look to hire an interim principal,” Jurgensen said.
Johnston’s last day as principal was Friday, July 31. She has started work at the central office in Damariscotta. She replaces Rick Kusturin, who left to join Freeport-based RSU 5.
Johnston feels the new position will allow her to use her budget expertise to help schools throughout AOS 93.
“I’ve always loved budgets. I enjoy working with them and I feel the staff is doing really great work in Jefferson and we are in a really good spot,” Johnston said.
AOS 93 includes seven towns – Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Jefferson, Newcastle, Nobleboro, and South Bristol – with five elementary schools.
“I’m looking forward to working with all five schools and getting to know the people who work there,” Johnston said.
Johnston joins another former principal of an AOS 93 school, Ann Hassett, at the central office.
Hassett became the director of curriculum, assessment, and instruction in 2018 after eight years as principal at Nobleboro Central School.
Johnston thinks that as a former principal, she can be a valuable asset at the central office.
“I know the structure of the school district, I’ve worked in both an AOS and an RSU, and am excited by the opportunity,” Johnston said.
Jurgensen said he is looking forward to working with Johnston and another new hire at the central office, Kelly Stokes, named director of special services to replace Sue Fossett.
“It’s an opportunity for me, as a superintendent, to have a new central office team. As assistant superintendent, Johnston will provide critical support, along with Ann Hassett and Kelly Stokes. We have a new team and I am really looking forward to working with them,” Jurgensen said.
Prior to joining JVS, Johnston was the principal of two Rockland schools: Rockland District Middle School and South Elementary School, in RSU 13.
Johnston replaced JVS Principal Peter Gallace in 2016, when Gallace left for a job with the Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland.
Jurgensen praised Johnston’s work in Jefferson. “She is one of the best principals I have ever worked with,” Jurgensen said.
Walter Greene-Morse, a member of the school committee, said the school may need an interim principal, since the school year will start before the end of August.
“I thought we would have to hire an interim principal last time we did this, but we received multiple quality applications and were able to hire Lynsey,” Greene-Morse said.
