POLAND — A veteran school administrator, Todd Sanders, was tapped Monday to serve as the next superintendent of Regional School Unit 16.

SAD 58 superintendent Todd Sanders will be the new head of the RSU 16 school district starting in July. Submitted photo

Sanders is in his fourth year as superintendent of School Administrative District 58, which includes Avon, Kingfield, Phillips and Strong.

Sanders will succeed Superintendent Ken Healey, who is retiring at the end of June after serving since 2018.

In a statement posted on the RSU 16 Facebook page, the school board said it reviewed nine applications. It said references “described Todd as a collaborative leader who understands the needs of diverse populations and ensures children and learning are the center of decision making.”

During interviews with him, the panel said, “It is evident that he looks forward to learning more about our three communities and all stakeholders and is very excited for this opportunity to join our family.”

RSU 16 includes Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland.

Sanders logged 11 years as principal of Gardiner Regional Middle School before taking the helm at MSAD 58 in 2019. He told the Sun Journal then that he was the first one in his blue-collar family from Freeport to attend college.

He graduated from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire and began a teaching career in 1990 with the Rockland school system. At one point, he coached the Waldoboro-based Medomak Valley High School’s varsity basketball team.

The RSU 16 board said that during Sanders’ 34 years in education, he’s served as an educational technician, teacher, coach, assistant principal, athletic director, principal and superintendent.

A superintendent search committee took the lead in finding Sanders. Its members were Mary Martin, Jessica Smith, Steve Holbrook, Angela Swenson, Christine Downs, Joe Parent and Amy Hediger.