CUMBERLAND — As of July 1, Greely High School’s interim principal will be interim no more.

The School Administrative District 51 Board of Directors voted 7-1 Monday to hire Daniel McKeone as principal, Superintendent Robert Hasson said.

McKeone, 45, started at Greely High in 1999 as a mathematics teacher, and was the department chairman from 2001-2005. He was dean of students from 2005-2008, became interim assistant principal in 2008 and assistant principal in 2009.

He has been interim principal twice, from November 2009 to March 2010 and since last August 2010.

“He’s very student-centered, is a good communicator, has high expectations for the staff,” Hasson said Tuesday. “Very, very supportive of the staff as they try new strategies with students.”

McKeone is a Cumberland resident who is married and has two sons, one of whom attends the high school. He said he knows many of the families of Greely students and staff.

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“I’ve been doing the job for a year, and it’s a good opportunity for us to be able to continue a lot of the stuff we started,” McKeone said.

He said he made the jump from teaching to administration because it was a new challenge. And while he enjoyed his time in the classroom, he added, “there are opportunities in administration that are not necessarily in the classroom.”

McKeone also has coaching experience. He was coordinator of Cumberland/North Yarmouth Youth Football from 2000-2009, assistant varsity football coach at Morse High School in Bath and Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham from 1994-1999, and coached track at Lincoln Academy.

Hasson said there were two searches for a new principal, each of which drew about 20 applicants.

Bill Dunnett, the School Board member who opposed hiring McKeone, said Tuesday that he was concerned about the selection process.

“I’m certain Dan will make an excellent principal and my vote should not be viewed as a criticism of him,” Dunnett said. “I believe the board will continue to work to improve our search process, which was my concern.”

McKeone’s annual salary as principal will be just over $95,200.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

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Daniel McKeone will become principal of Greely High School in Cumberland on July 1.


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