SACO — Michael Pulsifer has been hired as the interim superintendent for the Saco Municipal School Administrative Unit.

Saco has withdrawn from Regional School Unit 23, which will become effective July 1. The new school board, elected in December, announced at a meeting Wednesday night that it had chosen Pulsifer for the position.

Pulsifer is the assistant superintendent of business and operations for RSU 23, and prior to that was the principal at Jameson Elementary School in Old Orchard Beach.

Saco School Board Chairman Kevin Lafortune said the interim position runs through June 30, 2015. Pulsifer will earn a $10,000 stipend through June 30, and then will earn $115,000 plus benefits for the first fiscal year of the new Saco MSAU.

Pulsifer said he would work hard to ensure that Saco students have the best school system in the state.

“Thank you very much, and I look forward to the challenge,” he said.

The board thanked Philip Blood, who has been serving as a pro-bono facilitator for the board until the establishment of a superintendent.

Blood said putting together a new organization is a difficult task, and he acknowledged the school board’s hard work.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].