School administrators playing musical chairs, four principals get new posts - Mount Desert Islander

BAR HARBOR — There has been a major reshuffling of administrators in the Mount Desert Island Regional School System. 

Four principals and several others in key positions will have new assignments when the school year starts next week. 

With Julie Meltzer’s resignation as the school system’s director of curriculum, assessment and instruction at the end of June, her job has been split in two to make it more manageable.  

Rhonda Fortin, who has been principal at Pemetic Elementary in Southwest Harbor, will become director of teaching and learning for grades pre-K through six. Julie Keblinsky, who has been dean of curriculum at MDI High School, will be director of teaching and learning for grades seven through 12. 

Jill Cohen, whose job as the school system’s RTI/assessment coordinator under Meltzer was eliminated, will be the high school’s new dean of curriculum. 

Mike Zboray, principal at Trenton Elementary, will succeed Fortin as principal at Pemetic.  

Crystal DaGraca, who taught grades three through five and served as principal at Swan’s Island School, will become principal at Trenton.  

Hayley Fenton, principal at the Cranberry Isles and Frenchboro schools, will add the job of interim principal at Swan’s Island. 

In addition, Cathy Kozaryn, who has been the special services IEP (individualized education program) coordinator at MDI High School, is the school system’s new assistant director of special services. She succeeds Paige Collins, who has retired. 

Eric Hann has been hired to fill the new position of operations manager for the school system, overseeing facilities maintenance and transportation. Hann previously was a high school custodian. 

“We have been working really hard to grow leadership from within our district,” Superintendent Marc Gousse said. “We’ve had virtually no change in our administrative team, but this breathes some new life into positions.” 

Gousse will retire in January but has agreed to stay on as interim superintendent through next June. 

“The new superintendent will have a really sound foundation, a really solid team to work with, so I think he or she is going to be in a really good place,” he said. 

Dick Broom covers the towns of Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert Island High School and the school system board and superintendent's office. He enjoys hiking with his golden retriever and finding new places for her to swim. [email protected]

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School administrators playing musical chairs, four principals get new posts - Mount Desert Islander
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