When Linda Bleile first began her teaching career at Wiscasset Middle School, she wasn't sure she could finish out the year.

During Christmas break in 1973, Bleile, who was freshly graduated from the University of Maine, went so far as to write a letter with her intent to resign as reading teacher.

But, the letter was never sent. It stayed in her possession as she stayed in Wiscasset for another year, then another and another.

“I actually found the letter when I moved out of my classroom and into (the principal's office),” she said.

But, the time has finally come, Bleile said.

At the end of the school year, the long-term educator, 2009-10 president of the Maine Principals Association, 2009 Maine Administrator of the Year, 2011 MPA middle-level principal of the year, 2011 National Distinguished Principal and thrice-recognize by the Maine Senate and House of Representatives principal, will call it a career at Wiscasset Middle School.

Almost 41 years ago it would have seemed impossible, Beile said.

She said it was the teachers around her who not only convinced her to stay the year, but remain year after year.

“The class sizes were so much bigger, and it wasn't what I expected,” she said. “Luckily for me, there were so many young teachers working at the time. We were together for close to 20 years.”

Even as other teachers came and went, Bleile stayed in Wiscasset. In 2002 she became the school's principal.

Bleile said she couldn't pick one memory as her fondest in Wiscasset. While some achievements, such as the 21st Century Learning Grant to expand the after-school programs, the Comprehensive School Reform Grant, and restoring one of the school's wings stick out as professional achievements, in the end it was always about the people, Bleile said.

“There are so many people; students, staff, parents and people you meet along the way. That will be my favorite memory,” she said.

She saw her sons, Eric, 37, and Steven, 33, graduate from Wiscasset High School. Her husband, Ed, drives a Wiscasset school bus.

In other words, she not only worked at the school, but lived it.

Long-time science teacher Sue Kistenmacher taught alongside Bleile since 1986. Besides the pranks (such as having a limousine pick up Bleile at her house on her 40th birthday) one of the things Kistenmacher said she will remember was how Bleile remembered.

“In a desk drawer she kept homeroom class pictures from all her years of teaching,” she said. “She remembered all her students and parents and knew everyone in town. It was an experience for her to have children and then finally grandchildren of her early students.”

The pair both taught at the eighth-grade level until Bleile went back to school to get her certification to become a principal.

“This was before online classes,” Bleile said. “I had to drive to Gorham for classes, then drive back and teach.”

Starting in 2002, Bleile was hired as the interim principal, but quickly became cemented as the full-time principal.

“Now, I was the educational leader. My next step was to go to the other teachers and ask them 'What are your pressing needs?” she said. “I went to the secretaries, the teachers, the custodians, everyone.

“It turned out, we had a sick wing.”

One of the wings of the school, which had been built in 1951, didn't have proper ventilation, and as a result, students were becoming sick. So, $330,000 was secured from the town to fix a part of the school.

“Those renovations brought the fifth grade wing back,” Bleile said. “The next thing was to gain the community’s trust.”

Bleile said the school did that by opening up the school during open house events and making the school a hub.

“We had people dropping by who didn't even have a kid in the school,” she said. “My goal was to have the school featured in the newspaper every week.”

That duty was given over to the front of the house, namely, Administrative Assistant Cindy Collamore and Secretary Stacey Souza, whom Bleile said are the real bosses of the building.

Souza said the woman one office over has been a role for her during her time at the middle school.

“I have been very fortunate to have had a role model like Linda in my professional and personal life,” Souza wrote in an email. “She leads by quiet example, and I have learned so much in my six years with her just by watching her. She does her job with so much class and integrity.

“She will definitely leave a legacy here at the middle school.”

While she might leave a legacy, hopefully she won't be leaving without a little piece of her own history, Bleile said.

“Maybe when I move out of here,” she said. “I'll find (the letter) again.”