Wiscasset’s superintendent of schools, Terry Wood, said she has held almost every job there is in education, and she’s loved them all. “I’ve been a bus driver. I’ve taught at the pre-K level while I was also superindendent of schools. I’ve been an assistant principal. I’ve been a school secretary. I’ve been an ed tech. I’ve taught fourth grade, and I’ve been a basketball coach.” The only thing she hasn’t done is food service, but, she said, her family owned a bakery, so she has a little of that, too.

Most recently, she’s also been a director of instruction and Title I coordinator in her Presque Isle district, and executive director of the Central Aroostook Council on Education, which has charge of professional development for 17 school districts.

With her wide experience, she can relate to almost any issue anyone in the school community might have, Wood said. Youngest daughter Naomi is starting high school this year, but Wood's seven older children are scattered across New England. “So I have the experience of being a parent, too. I always feel the business of a school should put kids first. Anyone – student, parent, teacher, community member – is welcome to come and talk to me. My door’s open.”

Right now, Wood is living at a local campground. “We signed a purchase and sale agreement on a house. But the closing probably won’t happen until the end of August.”

That is just as school is reopening.

“I know, timing isn’t all that great,” she said. “All my stuff is in boxes in my garage at my old house. I have to go up and get some stuff I need for my office soon.”

Wood said her husband Rod is still up at their home in Presque Isle. The home is on the market. It’s a four-hour trip, back and forth, and also a four-hour trip to Connecticut, where her parents live, and where she tries to visit as often as she can.

She said she had only two visits to Wiscasset schools, including the one when she appeared before the school committee, before becoming a full-time employee in July.  Although she and her family have spent time in the Midcoast during the summer months, getting used to life in Wiscasset is a challenge. “Sometimes I drive all the way around to avoid Route 1,” she said with a smile. “I learned really fast how to get to Shaw’s and Dunkin’ Donuts and Subway.”

Wood said her philosophy is to focus on the positive aspects of a school community, and all its strengths. She favors a collaborative approach, and said she will definitely be a hands-on superintendent. “If I need to pitch in and do whatever has to be done, I’ll do that. I’ve done it before. But I am really glad to have a job where I’m a full-time superintendent, instead of a part-time this or that. That’s one of the things that made Wiscasset so attractive to me.”

Until recently, the school was having trouble getting enough educational technician IIIs so new students could enter the Anchor program, the new day treatment program that moved to Wiscasset in June. Wood said she believes there are enough applications now and she will have to make it clear to the applicants, there are openings in specific areas. 

She is also looking at cooperative athletic teams with Boothbay Region High School to fill out some of the teams. Wiscasset probably would have enough athletes in track and field, but will likely join forces with Boothbay anyway to make a more robust team and give Boothbay athletes a place to play.

One new change she was pleased to announce is the addition of an extended after-school program at Wiscasset Elementary School. Wiscasset is looking into Title I funds to finance the program. The application is due in August.  Wood will meet with the members of the regional group of school districts and departments to identify other services that can aid in cost savings, such as transportation, Pre-K, special education, and economies of scale in purchases. She also said the energy program is nearly complete and will hopefully save a great deal of money on energy and lighting.

Wood acknowledged the number of students has been in decline, especially in middle and high school and even at the upper end of the elementary school. “We have two classes of pre-K, and up through third grade, the numbers remain steady,” she said, pointing out there will be three third grade classes this fall. “But then it begins to fall off. We were only able to have two fourth grade classes this year.” Her goal is to try to attract families and children to Wiscasset. “The schools’ motto is ‘Small but mighty.' We want to make Wiscasset known for providing a quality education and high student achievement, and bring in students that way.”

Wood is hopeful the people of Wiscasset will offer the schools their support. “We’re a department of the town. We are a part of the larger community, and we need community support to succeed, like every other department.” She will work with the school committee, especially since there are new members, to understand their positions and responsibilities. “An important piece of that is confidentiality. It doesn’t do good things to have members disagreeing in public. We can meet, discuss differences, work things out, but before the public, we have to be on the same page.”

Wood said she is a no-nonsense kind of person. “Everything I do is based on facts. I’m open to hearing new ideas, but bring me facts, and how they’ll impact students. That’s what I’ll listen to.”

For her, that is the only question, she said. “How does every decision we make affect the kids? Our jobs, my job, is to educate kids. At the end of the day, it’s not about me, or the principals, or the teachers, or the support staff. We should all have one focus, and that’s the education of our children.”