ANDOVER – The SAD 44 board unanimously approved Russell Tornrose as principal of Telstar Middle School in Bethel. He will begin Oct. 1.

Tornrose was nominated by Superintendent David Murphy, who described him as an experienced professional educator whose career has spanned 35 years.

Murphy said Tornrose spent 1969 to 1987 as an administrator serving the towns of Weston, Wayland and Lincoln in Massachusetts. After that he served as a teacher at Telstar High School from 1989 through 1998. He then was an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire and returned to Maine as principal of Noble High School from 1998 to the present.

“Russ has a tremendous background in education,” Murphy said, “and we are fortunate to have someone with his expertise coming to the district to lead the middle school. He is very knowledgeable and very real, and I know he will do a tremendous job for the students at Telstar.”

Murphy said Tornrose will be the first principal to serve just the middle school since mid-1990. Since then, one person has been principal of both the middle and high schools.

“Having a principal serving just the middle school students and staff will help to five the middle school its own identity for the first time in 10 years. That is something we have been aiming to do for some time and now that can happen,” he said.

Tornrose will replace interim Principal Ted Davis.

“Ted has been a great help to us in getting the year at the middle school off the ground. He was an especially good choice to serve while we finished our search because, having served for many years as principal of the middle/high school complex before retiring two years ago he knows the building and is familiar with the districts programs,” Murphy said.