The Brunswick School Board on Thursday awarded Superintendent Phil Potenziano a contract extension and pay raise during his annual evaluation.

Potenziano’s contract was extended by a year to June 30, 2026, and he was given a 4% raise, increasing his salary to $155,438.

The board commended the superintendent for several initiatives, including expanding the pre-kindergarten program to serve 120 students, establishing a new math program for kindergarten through fifth grade students, implementing new methods of communicating with the community, and crafting a budget amid pressure from inflation and an enrollment spike.

“We support the very important work that you do for our students, first of all, but also for our staff and teachers and for the families in our community,” said board Chairperson Beth Bisson.

“It’s an honor to do this work,” Potenziano said. “I am very fortunate and feel like I’m surrounded by a phenomenal team of teachers, administrators, and I get to work with a really incredible community.”

The board especially praised the superintendent for external communications. He hosts a podcast, writes a newspaper notebook, holds community meetups at Frosty’s Donuts and posts regularly on his Twitter account. The School Department also publishes a community newsletter and maintains an active social media presence.

“I’m grateful for your service,” Bisson said. “The role of a superintendent is a very challenging role. This has been a very challenging year that we’ve been through, particularly in our budget cycle.”

Bisson said the board conducted a superintendent salary survey of 12 surrounding school districts and found Potenziano’s compensation “falls toward the bottom.” She said his 4% raise is similar to what other Brunswick administrators are receiving this year.

In its evaluation, the board directed the superintendent to focus on strategic planning; internal communication between administration and staff; exploring further expansion of the pre-kindergarten program; and ensuring its goal of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the school system.

Potenziano was hired in 2020, replacing retiring Superintendent Paul Perzanoski. His starting salary was $133,000. Previously, he was interim superintendent at Regional School Unit 21 in Kennebunk. He graduated from the University of Maine Farmington and holds a doctorate degree in education leadership from Boston College. He started his education career as a teacher at Coffin Elementary School in Brunswick.