Diane Nadeau said she plans to support the continuation of the schools’ restructuring, building on strengths and recovery from pandemic downfalls. File photo / The Forecaster

In her first seven years with the Scarborough school district, Diane Nadeau has worked under three superintendents. Entering her eighth school year, and first as superintendent, she hopes to provide a sense of continuity to the role.

“Scarborough has had a few superintendents in the past several years and, certainly, that makes it difficult to keep that continuity moving forward,” Nadeau told the Leader on Monday. “I think that’s something that I can bring and a challenge that we have to address.”

Nadeau was an elementary school teacher, literary specialist and an elementary and middle school principal before being hired as Scarborough Middle School principal in 2017.

“I’m starting my 33rd year and I have always been an educator in Maine,” she said. “I have a real solid understanding of what Maine education is all about.”

She took over as Scarborough’s assistant superintendent in 2020 and was named superintendent by the school board in May.

“I feel very vested with the community of Scarborough,” Nadeau said. “I’ve been a member of the school community for seven years now. I see how hard our staff works. I also notice the great talent that we have here in Scarborough and the talent we’re able to continue to attract here.”

Some of her priorities entering this school year include grappling with the limitations of Scarborough’s overcrowded schools in the present while simultaneously helping the town come up with a long-term solution – one that will pass at a referendum. In November last year, Scarborough residents rejected a $160 million proposal for a new school and grade restructuring plan, 5,913 to 3,364.

“I think it’s no secret that we need to develop and implement a plan that addresses the facility constraints here in Scarborough which are relative to community growth and the needs of student programming,” Nadeau said. “I’ve certainly been very heavily involved in that work over the past few years, so I’m glad to be able to move that forward.”

Nadeau holds a doctorate of philosophy in public policy analysis from the University of Southern Maine, as well as a master’s degree in literacy education and a bachelor’s in elementary education, also from USM.

Recovering from the pandemic

School districts across the country have been working to meet the changing needs of students in the wake of the pandemic, and Scarborough is no different in that regard.

“I think our teams are really focused on refining our multi-tiered systems of supports for students to make sure that all of our students have equitable access to resources and that we’re able to help students meet their full potential,” Nadeau said.

Since the pandemic, the district has made social and emotional learning a priority, Nadeau said, and that will continue.

“We’re going to continue to move that forward, but also look at it through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said. “Making sure, as we’re thinking about our approaches with students, that we’re really doing that with all students in mind.”

The district’s ability to address its challenges to date is thanks to the hard work of its staff, Nadeau said, and it will take hard work to overcome the challenges ahead.

“It’s a matter of recognizing the strong skills of the staff in every segment of this organization,” she said. “Our building leaders, our teachers, our ed techs, our support staff, our custodians, our bus drivers – you name it. Whatever that position is, everyone has value in this organization.

“It is the people that make this district what it is.”