South Portland Superintendent Angela Atkinson Duina has spent the first two weeks on the job driving around the city and meeting with staff and community members. 

“The more I get to know the people, the more I feel like I’m in the right place,” she said. 

Atkinson Duina, who holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from Boston University, a master’s in administration and social policy from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and psychology from Boston College, has experience as a research director, dean of faculty and vice principal.

The former assistant superintendent of elementary schools for Portland Public Schools started as South Portland’s superintendent on July 15.

The Press Herald sat down with Atkinson Duina in her new office to ask her some questions that parents, staff and community members might be wondering.

What are your goals for the district? 

Atkinson Duina said her main focus is bringing high quality teaching and learning to South Portland students and families. 

“We’re just going to have to try to figure out how we can continue to deliver that even with some adjustments,” she said. 

She believes that, as superintendent, she has a responsibility to manage the district’s resources – both financial and human – in a fair and efficient way. 

“Many people in our community are struggling,” she said, noting the reality of increased gas and grocery prices. “It’s on everyone’s minds.” 

She’s also excited about the new opportunities that the district will pursue through the community schools model, which views schools as community hubs relying on a coordinated approach from families, educators and partner organizations. The aim is to help students and families through obstacles that impede student success, such as homelessness, food insecurity and lack of health care access.

“It doesn’t just care for students for their academic side, but also considers their well-being,” she said. 

The school district has experienced a great deal of turnover in recent years. School board Vice Chair Adrian Dowling resigned days after recall papers were taken out against him and Board Chair Rosemaire De Angelis. Interim Superintendent George Entwistle served for the most recent school year after Tim Matheney resigned. How long do you plan on staying? 

“I’m not looking to go anywhere else,” she said. Atkinson Duina has lived in Maine since 2001. 

She said this is probably her last move in her career in education, and she’s looking forward to settling in this first year. 

“I won’t be here until I’m 80, but I want to be here long enough for people to feel comfortable and to stabilize the leadership transition that they’ve felt recently,” she said, inviting people to reach out to her.

Last year’s budget season was described as uniquely painful. What’s your strategy for avoiding a similar situation next year?

“Start early,” she said. Her team is already planning ahead for next year’s budget, cognizant of the lingering pain of the past two budget seasons. 

“This one coming up is probably also going to be a little bit difficult,” she said. “Even though it may not always feel like that, we are stepping up.”

She plans to prioritize consistent communication with staff and community members. 

“People don’t want surprises,” she said. 

In the meantime, she’s evaluating the impacts of this year’s budget as it unfolds. 

“Did we make the right cuts?” she said. “Are there gaps that we should reconsider or other changes?” 

The school board voted this spring to delay elementary school reconfiguration until the 2027-28 school year. What’s your plan for overseeing this major transition?

The district is putting a lot of time and energy into figuring out recofiguration, she said. The steering committee has been meeting since the spring, and the board had its first public workshop on July 20, with several more planned in the fall.

“It’s really a community decision,” she said. “It’s not my decision. My task is to implement the decision that the community decides is best for them in the way that is best for students and families and staff.”

This process hasn’t come from nowhere, she said. It’s building upon the unfulfilled recommendations brought forth by the Elementary Boundaries and Configuration committee in 2023. 

“It probably makes sense to look at boundaries more than once every 20 years,” she said. “That process and that deliberation, I think, is important for communities to think about, because neighborhoods change and communities change.” 

District leadership, school board members, staff and residents are engaging with the process. 

“Do we have the right configuration?” she added. “Do we have the right boundaries for our schools? Is this what makes sense for our community right now?” 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been present in southern Maine for the past few months, and the fear has impacted members of the community, including schoolchildren. What would you say to immigrant families in the district?

“School should be a really safe place for kids,” she said. “If there’s something we need to do to make sure school continues to be a safe space for all families, that’s what we would work to do.”

“All kids should stay focused on learning,” she added. “We are definitely living at a time when it can be more stressful for families that are close to the immigration enforcement, and I think we’ll have to be mindful of that.” The district will review its safety protocols, like it does every year. 

How does your background influence the way you will approach this position? 

Atkinson Duina said she feels a connection to rural communities. She grew up in upstate New York for part of her early childhood, and her parents are from rural Arkansas.

“Relationships with people matter,” she said. “Your neighbors are the people who you can count on whenever there’s trouble. I really want to start building relationships with people and going out and visiting people in the schools. I want to be a visible presence.” 

Her family has always valued education, she said. Her grandparents only had an 8th grade education because there wasn’t a school in their area where they could continue to learn. They moved to a college town to make sure their nine children had access to higher education. It’s a commitment that Atkinson Duina has carried with her in her career.

“We’re all in it to try to bring the best to the kids,” she said.