BIDDEFORD — On Tuesday, the Biddeford School Committee chose Chris Indorf to be the new assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

Indorf, who is currently associate head of teaching and learning at Thornton Academy in Saco, will replace Biddeford’s current Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jeff Porter.

Porter was selected as the new superintendent of schools for School Administrative District 51, which includes Cumberland and North Yarmouth. He will begin that position July 1.

Indorf was chosen from a pool of 12 applicants, said Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Ray. He was selected based on “his knowledge of curriculum and his ability to work with teachers,” said Ray.

In addition, the school committee was looking for someone who had both middle school and high school experience, he said. Indorf, who has worked at Thornton Academy for 15 years, which has both a middle school and high school, had the desired experience, said Ray.

Ray said Indorf received “glowing recommendations,” both from those with whom he worked at Thornton Academy and people he has worked with at Biddeford High School and the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology, which accepts students from BHS, TA and several other area schools.

Indorf’s body of work was another reason he was selected, said Ray. While at TA, Indorf wore several hats including teacher, advisor, coach, interim librarian, technology integrator, and for the last four years was an associate head.

His administrative experience has been focused on teaching and learning, with an emphasis on grades 6-12 curriculum and assessment.

Indorf has helped supervise a teaching staff of nearly 125 and has led projects ranging from curriculum expansion to building renovation to a 1:1 iPad program.

He “seemed like he will be the perfect fit for us,” said Ray.

“It will be a really nice match for me,” said Indorf about his move to the Biddeford School Department.

“Thornton Academy is a great school,” he said, “but it’s the only place I’ve worked.”

He said he was ready for new challenges and experiences and was “intrigued” when he learned Porter had accepted a superintendent position elsewhere.

Regarding the school committee’s desire to find a candidate who had experience in aligning middle school and high school curriculum, Indorf said he has the skill set to implement that and believes philosophically that it’s important to do so.

“For a long time, schools have been in silos,” he said, with elementary school, middle school and high school treated separately from one another. “We need to think in terms of K-16 education, in Maine and nationally.”

Other experience that Indorf brings to Biddeford is his success at TA in brokering partnerships and articulation agreements between the high school and the University of New England in Biddeford and the University of Maine. Partnerships with post-secondary schools is something the Biddeford School Department is interested in, and in which it has made some inroads. Biddeford’ COT has a partnership allowing students to earn dual high school and college credit with Thomas College in Waterville, and BHS is entering a partnership for dual credit for an introductory education course with St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

Indorf graduated from Marshwood High School in Eliot. He attended the University of Maine at Farmington, where he studied secondary social science education. He earned a master’s degree in education from the University of New England in 2008. He has just completed his certificate of advanced graduate study in educational leadership at the University of Southern Maine.

Indorf and his family reside in Saco where he is an active member of the community, particularly in youth sports in which both of his sons, ages 5 and 8, participate.

Indorf’s salary will be $105,000, which Ray said is an overall savings from the current salary for that position.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].