Regional School Unit 21 is seeking the public’s input during the search for a new superintendent. Superintendent Terri Cooper stepped down in early March, and will officially leave her position at the end of the school year.

The school district, which includes Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, launched an online survey aimed at gathering feedback regarding the superintendent search.

“An integral part of the process involves parent and community participation in an online survey,” RSU 21 board Chair Matthew Stratford said. “The survey is designed to obtain participant input about the attributes, experience, and knowledge a new superintendent should possess.”

Developed in partnership with the New England School Development Council, the survey also provides an opportunity for participants to identify priority tasks for the incoming superintendent.

The survey is available through Monday, May 12, after which the anonymous results will be compiled into a community needs assessment report for the school board’s consideration during the superintendent selection process.

“The RSU 21 School Board appreciates the public’s involvement in the superintendent search process and looks forward to hearing community members’ views,” Stratford said.

At a school board meeting in April, many community members urged the board to include the public in the superintendent search.

“I really feel strongly that we need representation from all associations that are going to be led by whomever the superintendent is,” district teacher Rachel McCarthy said.

The search for a new superintendent comes after a difficult year for the district, where community members have openly criticized the administration, including the superintendent, on issues like communication and teacher contracts.

RSU 21 has also seen what Director of Special Services Rachel Bratter called a “mass exodus” of staff members in the past year. Since June 2024, there have been 35 departures, including the entire Kennebunk High School guidance department last summer.

Because of the unrest in the district, community member Melissa McCue-McGrath said she hopes a new superintendent will “actively recognize” that the district has suffered.

“When there are issues in the district, I hope for a leader who will confront those challenges, be open and honest about them to the public, and address them head-on instead of sweeping them under the rug,” McCue-McGrath said. “We need someone who will build bridges, not burn them.”

Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel community members can access the survey through the RSU 21 website, or through Survey Monkey.