June 30 marked the end of Scott MacDonald’s tenure as head of school at the Center for Teaching and Learning, a K-8 independent demonstration school in Edgecomb. The students, faculty, and parents celebrated and expressed their gratitude for his eight years of diligent oversight and attention to detail, high standards, good humor, calming presence, and genuine love and compassion for every child. He will be missed.

On July 1, CTL’s new administrative team went to work. Kamala Grohman, the administrative assistant, will continue to provide the sympathetic voice that answers the phone, responds to countless requests and emergencies, and runs the friendliest school office in Maine.

Grohman will be joined by Anne Merkel, who is assuming the new position of lead teacher. Merkel will continue to teach grades 7-8 writing, reading, and history but move to a full-time schedule. Merkel graduated from Amherst College with a double major in American studies and English. She taught in the Washington, D.C., public school system for a year, then spent three years teaching grades 6-8 at Friends Community School in College Park, Maryland. Merkel, a member of the CTL class of 2000, is deeply committed to CTL’s values, methods, and future.

Rounding out the administrative team is Maggie Limm, CTL’s new school manager. She worked there as a teaching and administrative assistant for the past nine years. On the front lines and behind the scenes, her dedication, wisdom, and organizational skills have been one of the school’s greatest assets. Limm has a B.A. in psychology from Reed College and an M.S. in medical psychology from Oregon Health Sciences University. She taught at Portland Community College, worked as a research associate at Portland’s VA Medical Center, and consulted with the Aroostook Mental Health Center in Caribou. She is the mother of two CTL alums.

The new team is looking forward to supporting CTL’s outstanding faculty and developing new options for parental involvement in the school.