MECHANIC FALLS — After three years as principal of Elm Street School, Ryan Patrie is leaving to take a new job as principal of Turner Primary School.
Patrie, 37, has been in education for 14 years. He joined Elm Street as principal in 2014. Before that, he was assistant principal at Lisbon Community School. He also taught grades three through nine at other schools, including Turner Primary in SAD 52.
“I’m really excited to be returning to a school that I was a third grade teacher at,” he said. “And I’m always looking for new adventures and new challenges.”
Although Patrie submitted his resignation earlier this week, his contract requires that he stay with RSU 16 for 45 days after giving notice. He is slated to leave mid-October.
“It’s hard to have a principal leaving so early in the school year, but that’s the timing, unfortunately,” RSU 16 Superintendent Tina Meserve said. “It was the end of July when that job (in Turner) came open, I believe.”
Meserve said RSU 16 has started looking for someone from within the school system to serve as interim principal. One candidate could give a decision as soon as next Friday.
If a candidate is found quickly and the transition goes smoothly, Meserve said, Patrie could leave the school a little sooner than mid-October.
RSU 16 parents and staff have been notified about the change.
Meserve said Turner Primary School’s outgoing principal is leaving to become assistant superintendent in that district. The SAD 52 superintendent and outgoing Turner Primary principal could not be reached for comment Friday.
Ryan Patrie
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