July 1, Kim Andersson’s commute will fall from 80 minutes to about three.

The Wiscasset woman took a job out of town a few years ago, as dean of students at Searsport District Middle High School, to gain administrative experience. Her aim was to bring that experience back to the Wiscasset schools – where she had worked multiple jobs and volunteered – and become a school administrator here.

The dean job, which she finishes June 30, is akin to an assistant principal, Andersson explained in a phone interview March 23, nearly 24 hours after Wiscasset’s school committee gave her the top job: Superintendent of schools.

“It feels amazing. I keep pinching myself,” Andersson said. And she shared, that was not the only opening she had put in for. Andersson applied for Wiscasset Middle High School principal after Charles Lomonte resigned. She had thought principal might be the next phase in her path to a goal she had as far back as when she was an educational technician: Superintendent.

“I just feel like I know all the stakeholders’ roles. I’ve been in each of them,” ed tech, teacher, substitute, volunteer, school committee member, and parent. Son David attended Wiscasset Elementary School and WMHS and is now a 12th grader at Maine School of Science and Math in Limestone; his sister Linnea, now studying in Germany, will return to WMHS for senior year. 

Another plus Andersson, who for years chaired the local Partners in Education, said she brings to the superintendent job is her municipal service in town. She was on the select board and budget committee. The town and schools can work together, and the many assets here, from the working waterfront to the forests, to Morris Farm, the downtown and more, can make a Wiscasset education the most experiential learning possible, she believes.

Andersson cited one more plus to her being superintendent. She said this ends Wiscasset’s run the last several years of superintendents from outside Wiscasset, who have come and gone. Wiscasset is her forever home, she said.

“So I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”