New RSU 40 superintendent pledges to listen, builds relationships; board elects Danny Jackson chair

The RSU 40 school board welcomed a newly arrived superintendent who used his first board appearance to outline priorities and pledged to listen and learn from staff, students and community members.

The superintendent told the board he had spent time visiting all seven schools, meeting administrators, staff and students, and described the visits as positive. He said he intends to “listen more than I speak” as he learns the district’s culture and history, and emphasized building trust and focusing on strategic planning as priorities for the coming year. He cited district enrollment of about 1,700 students as context for the range of needs across schools.

On board organization, members nominated Rick Butler and Danny Jackson for board chair. The motion to elect Butler did not secure the necessary votes; the board then moved to elect Danny Jackson, and the motion carried. The record indicates the chair election was completed during the meeting and the board moved on to committee assignments and standing business.

The superintendent asked to meet individually with board members in the coming weeks to learn more about their experiences and expectations. The board also circulated committee assignment forms and reminded members of Region 8 representation and upcoming committee meeting dates.

The meeting record does not include a full roll call vote for the chair election in plain numeric form in the transcript; the board announced the result on the meeting floor.