Speaking of class, Bob and Sandra Bahre have donated $1 million to a scholarship fund being established in honor of retiring SAD 17 Superintendent Mark Eastman.

It’s an impressive gift given in the name of an impressive educator, and one with truly lasting value to students in the Oxford Hills.

Eastman, who has served as superintendent for the eight-town district for the past 15 years, has long recognized the importance of scholarship, having served as trustee on the Oxford Hills Scholarship Foundation. Last year, when he accepted an anonymous $1.1 million donation to that foundation, Eastman praised the donor as someone who “really cares about the future of our young people and the area.”

The very same thing could be said of Eastman himself.

An educator for the past 40 years, he has fostered international teacher exchange programs, dealt with tremendously difficult budget talks, shepherded the expansion and renovation of the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and construction of new elementary schools in Hebron and Paris, ensured staff and students were regularly recognized for their efforts, celebrated as graduates marched off to college, and mourned with students when favorite teachers died.

Last year, Eastman inspired more than 60 percent of the school staff to give up some of their pay to save seven colleagues’ jobs, earning the district national acclaim for the sacrifice. Maybe it’s because, as Eastman was supervising academics, budgets and policies, he took the time to sing with his staff, treated them well and really, really believed in them and in the public education they work so hard to provide.

We wish him well in his retirement, thank the Bahres for their generosity and congratulate future recipients of the Eastman Scholarship.

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