Staff Writer

Assistant Superintendent of Scarborough Schools Andrew Dolloff is stepping down after accepting position as superintendent at Regional School Unit 21, a consolidated district covering Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel. 

“I had no intentions of leaving [the school system],” Dolloff said. “I have mixed emotions. It’s hard to leave a place after working here for 13 years.”

Since being hired in 1996 as the high school’s director of student activities and athletics, Dolloff has worked his way up the chain of command, accepting position as high school principal in 2000 and working for the past three years as superintendent. 

“I’m ready to take on the next challenge,” he said of his move up to superintendent at RSU 21. 

A June 1 press release announcing Dolloff as the new hire for RSU 21 Superintendent said Dolloff was recognized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as Maine’s Outstanding Principal of the Year in 2004 and named to the National Advisory Council for the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Principals’ Center in 2005. 

During his six years as the principal, Scarborough High School’s enrollment increased from 800 students to nearly 1000 students.  

In 2002, Dolloff was also part of the $27 million expansion and renovation, doubling the square footage of Scarborough High School and increasing teacher and student access to instructional technology – the largest locally funded project in the state’s history at the time, according to the press release.

With July 1 scheduled as his official start date for RSU 21, Dolloff said he anticipates working with Scarborough Schools during the transition period as they search for a new superintendent. 

Superintendent of Schools David Doyle said the school board is currently reviewing the job description, “tweaking” some responsibilities and plans to have the opening advertised today. 

“Ideally we’d like to start interviewing by the end of June, beginning of July, with the idea of making an appointment sometime in July. It’s a tight time frame but that’s the idea,” Doyle said. 

He said the school board has not considered appointing an interim assistant superintendent, but is hoping to have a “great pool of applicants” to select from.

“We’re going to miss [Andrew]. I’ve worked with him since the mid 1990s when he came on as AD (director of student activities and athletics) and he’s brought a lot to the district. He’s a great colleague,” Doyle said. 

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.