CUMBERLAND — Sally Loughlin, assistant superintendent in School Administrative District 75 since 2004, will become director of curriculum, assessment, instruction and professional development for SAD 51 on Aug. 23.

Loughlin replaces David Galin, who left in June to become Portland’s first chief academic officer. Loughlin’s annual salary with SAD 51 will be nearly $95,000.

Meanwhile, SAD 75 Superintendent Mike Wilhelm will search for a new assistant superintendent, who he said could have different responsibilities from those handled by Loughlin.

Loughlin previously spent six years in several planning roles with the Portland School Department, including three as director of educational planning.

“SAD 51 has a reputation that’s well known,” Loughlin said last week. “They have an outstanding faculty, and a community that’s really committed.”

She added that her work in SAD 75 “has been really compelling, and I (have) valued it, so it wasn’t an easy or light decision. … It seemed like a career opportunity, and at the same time, really an advantage for my family.”

Loughlin, 49, who lives in Freeport, said the proximity of SAD 51’s Cumberland office to her home will be a benefit to her husband and two children.

“I am very excited about the hiring of Sally Loughlin,” SAD 51 Superintendent Robert Hasson said last week in a prepared statement. “Her background and experience in curriculum assessment, development, and evaluation coupled with her proven ability to provide leadership and work collaboratively with all stakeholder groups from students through community interests will be a real benefit for our district. Additionally, Sally’s curiosity keeps her engaged in understanding the most current best practices and research.”

Loughlin said her new role is focused on what she considers “the leverage for the (school) system,” and she added that her experience in Portland “helped me think about education planning and the necessity of it, and (in SAD 75) as the assistant superintendent I have so valued learning so much more about organization and what goes into running a district, and the idea of pursuing a career focused on curriculum, assessment, instruction and professional development brings me back to what’s at the heart. I think I have a lot to offer in that area.”

Loughlin, who also served as acting principal at Mt. Ararat Middle School this summer – where she will be replaced by the school’s two assistant principals – and as the district’s Title 1 coordinator, said she enjoyed her workload and her deep investment in the district.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s very hard to paint myself gone.”

Wilhelm said last week that he is looking at what the implications are for SAD 75 with the departure of Loughlin. He said her position provides many functions, such as being the point person for curriculum instruction, administrator for English as a Second Language, Gifted and Talented and Title 1, among other duties.

“It’s a multi-faceted job,” Wilhelm said. “I’m trying to look at all the pieces of the job and see whether they fit together or they don’t fit together … until I make a decision about what the job description actually looks like.”

Wilhelm said Loughlin “has a lot of great qualities. She comes to this job with a focus, with energy, with a commitment, with a work ethic that’s incredible, with a knowledge base that is impressive, and an ability to articulate that that’s equally impressive. With her in that position, this district has moved forward in many ways.”

Alex Lear can be reached at 373-9060 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net.

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Sally Loughlin will leave her job as School Administrative District 75 assistant superintendent this month to become director of curriculum, assessment, instruction and professional development for SAD 51.

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