PARIS — The School Administrative District 17 board of directors Monday evening approved hiring Brian Desilets as the new principal at Oxford Hills Middle School.

Desilets replaces Paul Bickford, who recently took over as director of the Maine Vocational Region 11 program.

Personnel Committee Chairman Barry Patrie said three candidates were considered for the position.

Desilets holds a certificate of advanced graduate studies in school leadership from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, a Master of Science degree in school administration from the University of Southern Maine and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Keene State College in New Hampshire.

He most recently served as assistant principal and athletic director at Mt. Abram High School in Salem Township. Prior to that, he was assistant principal, a teacher and a coach at several schools in Maine and New Hampshire.

Superintendent Rick Colpitts introduced Doug Kilmeister of Paris, who was hired in May as the principal of Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway. Kilmister replaces Dan Hart, who in February announced he would retire at the end of the school year.

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Kilmister is a former teacher and elementary school principal at schools in New Hampshire, and served in educational roles in Colombia and Nicaragua. He has a master’s degree in education from Harvard University.

Directors also unanimously approved creating an additional kindergarten teaching position at Rowe elementary school to accommodate a higher than expected enrollment.

Patrie said both the personnel and finance committees recommended the addition.

The position will cost about $60,000 in salary and benefits, he said. It will be funded through the contingency fund, which has a balance of $500,000, he said.


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