TOPSHAM — The School Administrative District 75 school board appointed Shawn Chabot on Thursday to be the district’s new superintendent.

Shawn Chabot, the assistant superintendent for Lewiston public schools, was appointed superintendent of School Administrative District 75 schools by its board of directors Thursday.

Chabot begins July 1.

Chabot, 48, is in his second year as the assistant superintendent of Lewiston public schools, the district he’s been working in for 14 years. During his time in Lewiston, he’s served as an assistant elementary school principal, the middle school principal and the high school principal before moving into the assistant superintendent position.

Lewiston Superintendent Bill Webster said Friday that he’s sorry to see Chabot go.

“Shawn is an outstanding educator and one of the few with experience at all grade levels. He will be greatly missed, and I wish him much success,” Webster said.

Webster is leaving Lewiston himself when he retires at the end of the school year. He will be replaced by Vermont educator Todd Finn.

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Webster said he expects to announce in a week or so the process that will be used to replace Chabot in Lewiston.

The SAD 75 board of directors on Thursday unanimously appointed Chabot to the top administrative role. His salary was set at $127,000.

Chabot, who is also a medic in the National Guard, said he always knew he wanted to be either a pilot or a teacher.

“I love kids,” he said.

Working 25 years in education, he knew he wanted to move into administration. While he misses teaching, he’s found he can affect children on a more global level.

“If we do our jobs well as administrators, I’ve always felt like mine is to remove barriers so building principals and teachers can focus on one thing, and that’s their kids, teaching and learning,” Chabot said.

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For example, Lewiston has struggled with proficiency-based learning just as SAD 75 has.

Chabot hails from Dexter. He and his wife have three children and their youngest son is a senior at Lewiston High School soon bound for college. The job at SAD 75 means he doesn’t have to move, and he said he’s always been fond of the Topsham-Brunswick area.

“We wanted to be close by. Family is important,” he said.

His first superintendent job, Chabot said he’d be lying if he said he’s not nervous and a little scared. He’s felt the weight of the responsibility and takes it seriously. He’s also excited.

“I’m very humbled and honored that they would offer me this position,” Chabot said. “I’ve always wanted to do what’s best for kids and the last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt a child,” he said. “And if I don’t do my very best, then I’ve let people down and most importantly I’ve let kids down, and I never want that to happen.”

He added, “There’s nothing more important than kids.”

Sun Journal staff writer Lindsay Tice contributed to this report.


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