Winthrop Superintendent Jim Hodgkin, shown in 2023, announced his resignation Aug. 1, and was planning to leave the job Nov. 1. He was told last week, however, that his contract would be terminated Aug. 30 and his last day as superintendent is Friday. Kennebec Journal  file

WINTHROP — Friday is Superintendent Jim Hodgkin’s last day with the Winthrop Public Schools, according to officials.

Hodgkin, who was planning to step down Nov. 1 and expecting to help with the school district’s transition to an interim superintendent, was told last week by School Board Chairwoman Alicia Lawson that his contract would be terminated Aug. 30.

Hodgkin signed his resignation agreement Wednesday. He said he cannot disclose details, other than he will be paid almost $30,000, the remainder of his yearly salary, up front.

Hodgkin submitted  his resignation letter Aug. 1, citing two School Board members who he said had made life difficult for him, other administrators and members of the staff. Hodgkin included a 90-day grace period in the resignation so he could help with the transition.

Hodgkin said he discussed with the board the possibility of a buyout, but he was still shocked when the board decided to move forward with his immediate termination.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to come to work on Wednesday and be told I’m done,” he wrote in a letter to Lawson and school lawyers. “That you or anyone would think that I would not want to be a part of opening school or transitioning to an interim is hard to understand. It speaks to your lack of understanding about me and my commitment to the Winthrop Public Schools, the Winthrop community, and the students of the school system.”

Lawson said that based on conversations with Hodgkin that date as far back as January, she thought he had a “desire to move on.”

“That message was consistently communicated to me, often citing a buy out deal from (him),” Lawson wrote Thursday in an email.

When the School Board received Hodgkin’s resignation letter Aug. 1, Lawson said board members held a special meeting to discuss his contract. She said she told Hodgkin about his early dismissal Aug. 21.

Hodgkin said he was shocked by the board’s decision to end his contract early. He said he wanted to help with the transition to new leadership and provide input on the superintendent search.

“I expected to be able to have some much deserved closure,” he wrote in the letter. “I have served the Winthrop community well for four years. I am not leaving because of them. I deserve to have closure with my administrative team, the staff, and the students. I know they are expecting that from me. I owe that to them. To suggest that I just take my pay and walk away is shameful.”

Hodgkin said his resignation was not voluntary, but necessary. He did not think the School Board would renew his contract when it expired, though it was his intention to work in Winthrop until he was ready to retire.

“My goal all along has been to create awareness in the community about what is ‘wrong’ with the School Board and to have some influence regarding changing the behavior of members who do not understand their role as members of the Board,” he wrote.

Since Hodgkin’s resignation, the School Board has prepared to hire an interim superintendent. Lawson hopes to have a candidate on whom the board can vote before school begins next week.

The board heard earlier this month from Steven Bailey, executive director of the Maine School Management Association, on the timeline and scope of the search for Hodgkin’s successor.

“(Bailey) attended the (School Board) meeting last week and shared about the process of finding a full-term superintendent,” Lawson said, “so when we have an interim in place, we anticipate putting an ad out in January or February, which is something (Hodgkin) gave input on as far as a timeline to have a new hire effective July 1.”