ORFORD — The Rivendell Interstate School District has hired the longtime principal of Sharon Elementary School to serve as its next superintendent.
Barrett Williams, a Vermont native who has worked at schools in Tunbridge, Chelsea and Sharon, will take over as Rivendell superintendent on July 1.
“There’s a lot to look forward to there,” Williams said in a phone interview on Wednesday, noting that Rivendell is also looking to hire two new principals. “We are going through that process now. It’s exciting to be picking your own leadership team and moving forward and combining that with the folks who are already there.”
Williams, 41, graduated from Oxbow Union High School, where he played basketball, baseball and soccer, graduated from Husson College in Bangor, Maine, and then earned a Master of Education degree from University of Vermont.
He started his teaching career in physical education and health at Tunbridge Central School, worked as a school administrator in Chelsea for two years, then became Sharon Elementary principal in 2008.
Rivendell officials credited Williams for increasing enrollment at Sharon Elementary from 84 students to 163, bringing the school to full capacity, with programs such as farm-to-school and outdoor education.
Rivendell search committee chairwoman Kathy Hooke said Williams had the leadership and communication skills and personality to help grow Rivendell, which has just under 500 students.
“He really grew programs” in Sharon, Hooke said. “He worked with teachers and empowered teachers to help establish programs and find the funding to keep them going.”
Williams, who lives in Thetford with his wife and son, will succeed Elaine Arbour as Rivendell superintendent. Arbour led the district for two years and was paid $115,000 a year.
Rivendell officials said Williams is likely to be paid $112,500 for the four-day-a-week position. Rivendell officials also said they plan to hire retired Lebanon superintendent Mike Harris on an hourly basis in the first year to “mentor” Williams on the management and reporting requirements of the two-state school district. Harris served as interim Rivendell superintendent from 2016 to 2017.
Hooke said Harris is likely to provide a couple of hours a week of assistance, and was to meet with Williams next week. Harris’ contract, which has yet to be finalized, is targeted at $80 an hour.
Hooke, who is also the vice chairwoman of the Rivendell school district, said prior superintendents have said, “This is a really complex district to run in part because it’s an interstate district. You’re having to answer to two states and work with finances in two states, and that is a lot to manage.”
Rivendell, founded in 1998, serves Orford and the Vermont towns of Fairlee, West Fairlee and Vershire.
The district hopes to form a focus group to provide input on the hiring of the two new principals, with a meeting slated for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Samuel Morey School.
Williams, who said he went bike riding with his son Wednesday while they were off for school vacation week, also issued a thank-you letter to the Sharon community looking back on his 11-year tenure.
“I am confident that Sharon Elementary School will continue to thrive and grow its reputation as one of the best schools in the state,” Williams wrote. “We have tremendous community support, a great core of teachers and support staff, and a growing population of families and students who share our existing values.”
John P. Gregg can be reached at jgregg@vnews.com.