Frank Sherburne, superintendent for the Massabesic school district, will officially take the helm of Maine School Administrative District 6 this fall, bringing his experience to the schools of Buxton, Hollis, Limington, Standish and Frye Island.

His appointment was made official Tuesday night, at the SAD 6 School Board meeting at Bonny Eagle Middle School.

“I’m very excited to be on board, and hopefully it will be soon,” said Sherburne, noting that an official start date for his tenure is still tentative. “I look forward to meeting with the communities, and embracing the communities and the educational process.”

Sherburne will take over for Dr. Mark Eastman, formerly the head of Regional School Unit 17 in the Oxford Hills region, who had been hired as an interim superintendent for SAD 6 until a permanent replacement was found.

Eastman had his hands full over the summer, saying in August that he played a part in the hiring process for about 30 vacant positions in the district, ranging from teachers to social workers and custodial staff; he also worked with the administrative team to set academic goals for the upcoming school year. Eastman will remain with the district throughout the period of transition ”“ of yet-undetermined length.

At that point, it will be Sherburne’s turn to help guide SAD 6.

Sherburne graduated from Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in special education. In 1988, he received a master’s degree in education of the deaf and hard of hearing from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. He followed that up with a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Southern Maine in 1997.

The superintendent for Regional School Unit 57 since 2008, Sherburne has spent 10 years with the district, also holding the positions of director of special education, K-7 special education resource room teacher and teacher of the deaf.

School Board Chairwoman Lila Wilkins, who had a hand in the hiring process along with the rest of the board, said she feels that the district made the right decision in hiring Sherburne.

“He is so excited about being in education,” said Wilkins. “He’s a proven leader. He loves kids, and when you talk to him, you just get the feeling there is no place to go but up.

“He listens,” she said. “And he’s a collaborative leader. He loves people.”

Sherburne said he is currently eyeing Oct. 3 as his official start date, although that may change depending on the transition process. In the meantime, he will say goodbye to RSU 57, a departure he described with mixed emotions.

“It was an excellent district,” said Sherburne, “but it was time for a change. It’s bittersweet. (But) they’re on the right track and moving in the right direction.”

Sherburne will be the first permanent superintendent for SAD 6 since the departure of Suzanne Lukas this past summer. Earlier this year, Lukas, who had guided the district for the past seven years, accepted a position as the superintendent of RSU 24 in Ellsworth.

In May of this year, shortly before leaving her post, Lukas expressed pride in her accomplishments over that seven-year tenure, including several facilities upgrades, the building of a new Buxton Elementary School, and curriculum improvements that included a new literacy program.

Of course, her term was not without its share of controversy. In 2009, Lukas made national headlines when, during the commencement ceremony for Bonny Eagle High School, she denied a student his diploma after he took a bow and blew a kiss to his mother. The student received his diploma after the graduation ceremony.

— Staff Writer Jeff Lagasse can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 319, or at jlagasse@journaltribune.com.