Alton L. Hadley, III

	Superintendent, Principal & Special Education Director

Alton L. Hadley, III is an Eddington, Maine, native. Since an early age, he has been known as "Bump." He has a Bachelor's Degree and a Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Maine, majoring in Education. He earned his Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Massachusetts.

Bump began his teaching career at Brewer High School. Following three years of teaching and coaching at his alma mater, he moved to the University of Maine as an instructor in Physical Education and Assistant Football Coach. After five years at the University of Maine, Bump served as an Immigration Inspector with the Department of Justice for two years full-time and over 10 years as a part-time officer. During that time Bump continued his association with Education while serving as a member of the Brewer School Committee. The call to return to teaching and coaching finally brought Bump to Old Town High School where he taught physical education and coached football and baseball for 5 years. He also served as the Department Chair.

In the spring of 1977, Bump returned to Brewer High School as Assistant Principal/Athletic Administrator. He served in that capacity until he was asked to transition the Brewer Junior High School into a Middle School. This was accomplished two years later when the 6th graders entered and a student-centered curriculum approach was introduced to replace the old subject centered curriculum.

Six years later Bump was selected to lead the 1400 student body at Bonny Eagle High School in SAD 6 (Buxton, Hollis, Limington, and Standish). Bump served with distinction for 13 years. He served on many state and local committees. He served a term on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Secondary Principals. During his tenure at Bonny Eagle, he introduced and implemented Block Scheduling, arranged for individual parent-teacher meetings during conference time, and began a school advisory committee made up of parents, teachers, students, administrators, and business leaders in the community.

Bump became a part-time Superintendent of Schools in 1998 on North Haven Island. The Principal and the staff, with full support of Bump, opted to have the K-12 school go through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process. This was successful and North Haven Community School became fully accredited and was one of two Island schools in New England to be so recognized. Bump supported the request for a Pre-K program for NHCS and the community voted to adopt in it 2000.

Bump was elected the Superintendent of Schools in Gilmanto, NH. This was the community's first Superintendent since they had been a part of a larger district and that district was breaking up. The district had a single K-8 school and tuitioned the high school students to a nearby high school. The district thrived, established its own business office in year three, and educated students in a highly efficient manner.

The Town of North Haven called again and the love of the Islands and its people compelled Bump to become the Town Administrator. Following many accomplishments on North Haven, Bump returned to the mainland as Part-time Superintendent of Schools in Arundel, ME, a small community in York County with K-8 School and tuitioning out the high school students to several local and private schools. During his first year, Bump oversaw the transitioning process of sending middle school students to Thornton Academy Middle School (private).

Bump noted in the spring that Chebeague Island was in the process of seceding from the Town of Cumberland and the school was withdrawing from MSAD#51. This looked like an exciting and challenging opportunity as Superintendent of Schools. And here he is and feels fortunate to be an active participant in a historical event.

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