Please see the communication from the Saco Superintendent of Schools Mr. Jeremy Ray.
Saco School Department
90 Beach Street, Saco, Maine 04072
Phone: 207.284.4505
Fax: 207.284. 5951
Superintendent of Schools, Jeremy Ray
Dear Saco Citizens,
It is my great honor to accept the Saco School Board’s nomination to serve as your Superintendent of Schools. I will not serve in the traditional capacity; as you may have heard, the Superintendent vacancy has been filled through a contract with the Southern Maine Administrative Collaborative (SMAC), a regional service center that was spun off by me and other members of the leadership group in Biddeford in 2017. The SMAC is authorized by the Department of Education, and provides services ranging from speech therapy to psychological examination, bus transportation to bulk purchasing to districts all over the state. The SMAC employs three certified Superintendents, who will join me for the term of the interim vacancy.
My team and I have deep roots in Saco; two of us are residents with school-aged children, and we are deeply committed to our students and citizens. We are your friends and neighbors-- parents, coaches, and community volunteers. Based on the feedback you’ve provided the schools in the last several months, the School Committee has identified its three primary objectives for our team: to open schools fully and safely, manage and balance the budget, and to find operational efficiencies to make sure the school department slashes overhead, invests in students, and is responsive to taxpayers.
The most critical and visible roles in Saco’s four great schools are filled by the hardworking men and women who care for our students each and every day. That won’t change. There won’t be any renaming of schools, changing of mascots, etc. Second graders will still be Young School Bears and 8th graders will still matriculate to Thornton Academy.
This community prides itself on its independence, and will maintain its autonomy: Saco will have its own school-based administration, leadership office, budget, board, policies, etc. This partnership is not “consolidation” or a “merger.” In its simplest form, we’ll make sure class is in session, the books are balanced, the buses run on time, and each Saco student has access to a rich and diverse academic program.
In the coming days my team and I will be meeting with each school’s staff, and we look forward to hearing from you, too. Several events are being planned to meet with members of the community to learn more about your hopes for the future of Saco’s schools. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, and either I or another member of my senior staff will be in touch.
Yours in Service,
Jeremy Ray
Superintendent of Schools
Executive Director, SMAC