GRAY — Craig King has been named the next superintendent of schools for School Administrative District 15, the schools of Gray and New Gloucester.

King is the current superintendent of Western Foothills Regional School Unit 10, which is based in Dixfield and serves approximately 2,600 students in 12 communities.

King visited SAD 15 schools on June 15 and met with staff, students and community members. He was the sole finalist for the position.

He will replace current superintendent Bruce Beasley, who will leave June 30 to become superintendent in Colebrook, N.H.

King is a Fort Kent native and a graduate of Fort Kent public schools and the University of Maine at Fort Kent. He has been a Peace Corps volunteer, elementary teacher, high school teacher, assistant principal and principal. He served as principal of Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham for nine years.

King holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi. He completed his superintendent’s licensure program at the University of Maine. 

“I am very excited about becoming superintendent at SAD 15,” King said in a statement released by SAD 15. “Having lived in different parts of the United States and foreign countries, I have developed a very deep appreciation for Maine and its people. Maine schools are extraordinary institutions that produce graduates who successfully contribute to all facets of our society at the local, state and national level. I am eager to work with the faculty, staff and broader community to provide an excellent education for the children of Gray and New Gloucester. ”

He will start in mid-August.