Kendra Connor resigned from the RSU 21 School Board. Kennebunk is looking for an interim. Courtesy Photo
KENNEBUNK – The community is looking for an interim Regional School Unit 21 school board member interested in filling the remaining months of a three-year term following the resignation of member and former chair Kendra Connor.
Connor resigned on Nov. 3. The term expires June 30. The resignation came the day following a school board meeting.
The Kennebunk Select Board announced it was looking for an interim member on Dec. 2. Those considering serving are asked to submit a letter of interest to Town Manager Michael Pardue at mpardue@kennebunkmaine.us or send via mail to 1 Summer St., Kennebunk, 04043, by Dec. 16.
In an email, Connor said her focus for joining the board was to give students and staff the best support to help continue RSU 21’s excellence in the classroom.
” I remain committed to supporting those same folks today – anything that distracts from safely providing a sound education during the pandemic is unneeded background noise – as such, I made the decision to resign,” Connor said.
In her resignation letter to the board, she said her decision “is not the result of the request made by a board member or due to any unethical improprieties.”
A small portion of the letter, sent to the Kennebunk Post by the RSU at the newspaper’s request, was redacted due to confidentiality, said Superintendent Terri Cooper.
In her email, Connor said she felt it wasn’t appropriate to share much information because conversations were in closed-door sessions, but noted “some board members fixated on a reviewed and resolved issue from last spring,” involving her oldest son, who has been a middle school lacrosse coach for several years, and her husband, who has previously been a coach in the district, both predating her time on the school board.
“Legal counsel advised back in the spring, and again the end of this October, that no wrongdoing occurred, but advised that we review and revise our nepotism policy,” she said.
Connor said she and vice chair Sarah Dore worked hard during their leadership to foster communication with the board and the community. They were elected by their peers following the resignation in September 2019 of former chair MaryBeth Luce and Mike Mosher, who remains a member but resigned as vice chair, during a period of turmoil regarding the hiring of an interim superintendent.
Connor said the board had achieved several accomplishments during her and Dore’s leadership.
“We worked hard to successfully navigate from in-person meetings to remote meetings as well as navigate the release of the independent investigation with a listening session and an apology and thank you to Ms. (Rosa) Slack,” she said, speaking of how the district had responded to complaints of racially-motivated incidents involving the teacher. “I think we expanded transparency in our minutes and ensured that as much back-up information as possible was provided on agendas.”
RSU 21 Board Chair Arthur LeBlanc did not respond to a telephone message seeking comment on Connor’s resignation.
“It was clear to me that my position on the board was not valued, productive or healthy,” Connor continued. “I am going to focus on my family as we continue through this pandemic and I truly hope this board can focus on what’s important – our students and staff.”
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