Superintendent Finalists
Following a nationwide search, the Portland Board of Public Education has narrowed the pool of applicants for the position of superintendent of the Portland Public Schools down to two finalists. They are Eric Moore, currently senior advisor to the superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools, and Dr. Ryan Scallon, who is an assistant superintendent in the School District of Philadelphia. Scallon holds a doctorate degree in education and Moore is on track to earn his doctorate in education later this year.
"The Board and Superintendent Search Committee are extremely excited to bring these candidates forward to the community. While we wish there were more gender diversity, these candidates emerged at the top of our rigorous selection process. We believe their strengths, experiences, and commitment to equity are solid and impressive. Both finalists are an excellent fit for the district."
-Sarah Lentz
Board Chair and also Chair of the Superintendent Search Committee
The national search resulted in 47 applications from candidates aspiring to lead Maine’s largest and most diverse school district. Now that the finalists have been selected, they will be in Portland on May 17 and 18 for interviews and to tour the district. Key stakeholders – including staff, students, members of the Board of Public Education, parents and other community members – will conduct the interviews.
As part of the Board’s and the Superintendent Search Committee’s open and inclusive months-long search process, the interviews with students, parents and community members will be live-streamed on Wednesday, May 17. The student interviews will stream from 4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. that day and the parent and community member interviews will follow, streaming from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. that Wednesday. The interviews also will be recorded and available for later viewing until May 20 at midnight. The community is invited to share feedback on the candidates with the Board and Search Committee after viewing the interviews.
Meet our Superintendent Finalists
Eric Moore
Eric Moore is a passionate advocate for the power of youth, parents, and community voices in driving positive change and creating equitable practices. He firmly believes that engaging diverse perspectives is essential to making decisions that prioritize students and promote equity in our education system.
With over thirty years of experience in K-12 education, higher education, and non-profit settings, Eric has a proven track record of turning his visions into reality and working tirelessly for the benefit of all children. Growing up in rural Langston, Oklahoma, and spending summers in the urban centers of Dallas, Texas, and Washington DC, Eric learned to appreciate and honor diverse experiences based on region, income, ability, race and culture.
Dr. Ryan Scallon
Growing up in Wisconsin, Ryan Scallon loved school. He had teachers who challenged and supported him. He completed projects that were interesting and connected to his passions. Ryan participated in extracurriculars and sports, had a strong social network, and school was a place he looked forward to each morning.
Ryan was introduced to teaching in his first year of college when he taught world economics to a class of 6th grade students in West Philadelphia. Beginning with this experience, Ryan saw first hand that not all students receive the same opportunities or school based experiences he had growing up and he has spent his career working to change that.