1 member of Hermon School Committee resigns, 2nd requests to resign

The Hermon School Committee may be down two members from its typical seven by the end of this week. Vice Chair Christopher McLaughlin has asked to resign from his position as of April 22. His term expires June 30, 2025, according to the school’s website. Regional School Unit 87 Representative Shannon Knowles resigned from her appointment to the Hermon School Committee sometime in the past couple weeks, said committee Chairperson Stephanie Oiler, who didn’t know the exact date of Knowles’ resignation. McLaughlin’s request to resign will be considered by the Hermon Town Council at its Thursday meeting. Also on the agenda for the meeting is scheduling the November election, which will include a school committee member election. No committee members’ terms expire in November. McLaughlin did not respond to a request for comment. RSU 87 can send up to two representatives to the Hermon School Committee, Oiler said. The RSU will likely send a new representative in the future, she said. Knowles is still the chairperson of the RSU 87 Board of Directors, according to its website. The resignations come while the committee conducts a search for an interim superintendent after Superintendent Micah Grant announced April 1 that he would be resigning at the end of the school year. Oiler said she has no concerns that the resignations will affect the search for a superintendent. The committee’s quorum and ability to vote will not be affected, she said. The committee meets 6 p.m. Tuesday to discuss which candidates they will interview and what questions they will ask. The district has also recently faced legal issues. The Hermon School Department is being sued by The Pines Church in Orono, alleging the school discriminated against the church by refusing to lease an auditorium for worship services. The lawsuit, filed in May 2023, is still pending. Local conservative activist Shawn McBreairty sued Grant in June, saying he was denied  access to complete public records. That lawsuit was dismissed in December.