Cooper

RSU 21 Superintendent Dr. Terri Cooper announced her resignation at an emergency school board meeting on Wednesday.

Cooper, who has served as superintendent of the district covering Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel since 2020, will leave her position at the end of the school year. Her last official day will be Aug. 31.

According to a statement from the district, the decision was reached “mutually” between the superintendent and the school board.

“Recently, Dr. Cooper approached the board and indicated that she wanted to discuss transitioning from her role as RSU 21’s superintendent, in part to return to her home in North Carolina, where many members of her family, including her parents, still live,” board chair Matthew Stratford said in the news release.

Serving the district has been a “great honor,” Cooper said in a statement. “Together, we have raised academic achievement, expanded programs, and successfully navigated numerous challenges. I am immensely proud of our collective work to provide students with exceptional education.”

Cooper also thanked the district’s teachers, staff, administration, school board members, families, and community partners for their trust and support.

The board also expressed their gratitude for Cooper’s “commitment to RSU 21” and her willingness to help the board in the months ahead.

“On behalf of the board, I want to thank Dr. Cooper for her service, and we certainly wish her the absolute best in the future,” Stratford said. “We also look forward to working with her for the remainder of her tenure.”

Cooper’s time as superintendent has not been without some difficulty. She joined the district at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, working through unprecedented challenges such as remote schooling.

Last year, the district’s administration, including Cooper, faced pushback from the community over issues like communication and teacher contracts.

After protracted negotiations, a new teacher contract was ratified in December.  The district is currently in negotiations for a contract including educational technicians and support staff.

The school board will soon begin the process of searching for a new superintendent, and officials said community members can expect updates in the next few weeks.

“To our students, you are the heart of everything we do, and watching you thrive has been my greatest joy,” Cooper said.