New high school principal named

James M. Holland Jr.

SOUTH PORTLAND — South Portland school officials have picked a man who has logged just one year as a principal to take on the top job at South Portland High School.

In a special meeting Monday, directors voted unanimously to hire James M. Holland Jr., 51, of Temple, who most recently worked as principal at Livermore Falls High School.

Prior to that, Holland taught science at Cony High School in Augusta from 1986 to 2004, before stepping up to log six years as assistant principal there. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Maine in 1983 and a master’s in administration and educational leadership from the University of Southern Maine in 2005

Holland replaces Jeanne Crocker, who resigned May 21, after 28 years at SPHS – the last 13 as principal – to become assistant executive director at the Maine Principal’s Association. She cited a proposal by Gov. Paul Lepage to roll back retirement benefits as the “the impetus for this early retirement.”

However, while Crocker left SPHS to preserve her benefits, Holland will benefit greatly by taking her place. His annual salary in Livermore Falls was $80,000. But, as a first-year school administrator in South Portland, his rate of pay will jump to $93,000.

According to Superintendent Suzanne Godin, Holland beat out 20 other applicants, 10 of whom were interviewed. Before being offered the job, he sat down with 32 different stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, parents, students and city officials.

“We were impressed with his experience with school construction,” said Godin, noting that Augusta built a new high school while Holland was second-in-command at Cony. His experience on several building committees should serve him well, Godin said, as SPHS embarks on a similar $41.5 million renovation project.

Godin said the search committee also liked Holland’s background in science, a key requisite as SPHS embarks on new programs next year in STEM instruction. An acronym for science, technology, engineering and math, STEM stresses a hand-on approach to learning in those subject areas.

“We liked his ideas for getting students engaged and involved,” she said.

Perhaps more importantly, Godin said, although Holland only served one year as head of the 800-student Livermore Falls High School, he was hired there as a “transformational leader.”

Basically, because Livermore Falls had just been named one of Maine’s 10 lowest achieving schools, Holland was brought in to turn the school around, using a $1.2 million federal school improvement grant.

“He had great results,” said Godin. “We’re excited about his experience and some of the things he can bring to the table in South Portland.”

“I was very impressed with Mr. Holland’s background,” said school board member Rick Carter. “I was equally impressed with the process we went through. We wanted to make sure we had the right fit for South Portland High School. With the exception of the superintendent, the principal there is probably the most visible position of education in South Portland. I think we came to an excellent choice.”

For his part, Hollard showed little hesitation to take on the new job.

“One thing I would tell you is that I taught for a lot of years,” said Holland. “I know kids and think I an help kids here be successful, and help South Portland continue to move forward.”

“I’m really excited to be here,” said Holland, who, while he plans to move to South Portland soon, has already taken up quarters. “I will be here nearly every day this month. I’m available to anyone who’d like to stop in.”