At the September 30 meeting of the AOS 77 school board, Superintendent James Underwood announced his plans to retire next May. The board accepted his resignation with regret.
     Underwood has served 11 years as a superintendent, beginning in 2004 as the superintendent for Union 106 based in Calais. He was hired as the AOS 77 superintendent when it was formed in 2010.
     "I think it's time for me to retire from the political pressures of this sort of position," he says. "I'm tired of the politics." With the AOS covering 10 towns from Lubec to Alexander, and having previously included Calais until the city withdrew in 2013, Underwood says, "The number of towns fuels some of the disparate politics that makes the job very, very difficult."
     In his letter of resignation, Underwood states, "In the spring of 2010, I don't think any of us could have predicted our journey to Sunrise County School System AOS 77. Literally, we ran full speed ahead from Crawford to Lubec. Excuse the metaphors, but it's been quite a ride, and without a road map."
     He adds, "After all is said and done, we have met 'awesome challenges,' and in retrospect I think we've actually done fairly well in light of what we have had to face and build as we moved ahead. Certainly we have not agreed all of the time, but we have also supported each other in the times of need for our children and for public education, and we have all worked very hard for our citizens and taxpayers."
     Underwood will continue living in Perry and is not sure what he will do next. He does plan to work again at some time and is not ruling out another superintendency position.
     The AOS 77 board will have the Maine School Management Association give a presentation on the services it offers in searching for a new superintendent at a workshop on Tuesday, October 14, at 6 p.m. at Shead High School. The board then will meet following the workshop to discuss how it will proceed with the search process.
     Underwood added in his letter that, if a new superintendent is not found by May 1, he would be willing to work until July 1.

Lawsuit update
     In an update on the lawsuit filed by the AOS against the City of Calais and the Calais School Department concerning payment of the city's share of the remainder of the AOS superintendent's contract, attorney Edmond Bearor informed the board in a letter that Justice Daniel Billings will be making a summary judgment in the case without a trial or oral arguments. Bearor expected a decision will be made within a month. The dispute centers on whether Calais is responsible for paying its 37% portion of the remainder of the contract, which extends until 2017. Although Calais has withdrawn from the AOS, the contract was agreed to when Calais was a member.
     Underwood noted that he had expected a decision before now. Board member Will Bradbury noted that the recent AOS budgets have not included any funds if Calais does end up paying for its share of the remaining contract, so it will be a windfall to the AOS if the decision is in favor of the AOS.
     Following an executive session, the board voted to readvertise for a bookkeeper/accounting clerk for the AOS central office.