No matter how great your boss is, you’ve probably had a day or two where frustration has made you tempted to throw something at them. Our newest MMS Principal let his staff do just that at a staff meeting last October. Principal Sam Dunbar stood like a man at a mark and let his staff lob water balloons at him.
Mr. Dunbar had staff write their “stresses” on a water balloon and then “give them to him.”
“I saw this in a Principal Facebook group and thought it was a fun idea to end a staff meeting with some laughs,” said Mr. Dunbar. “It’s a stressful year, and I know I cannot alleviate all the stress that exists, but I hope for those few minutes, they were able to have a laugh and go home with a smile on their faces.”
Prior to taking the helm at MMS, Dunbar worked his way up through the ranks, teaching social studies at Mt.Blue High school and then earning his Masters in Education from UMF in 2011. He became assistant principal of Mt. Blue High in 2014 and joined RSU 18 as assistant principal at MHS in August of 2016.
Mr. Dunbar took over at MMS in the middle of the Coronavirus crisis and has faced the many challenges that come with being a school principal during these times.
“When Mr. Dunbar met with me to discuss his vision for Messalonskee Middle School, I knew he was the right person for the job,” said Superintendent Carl Gartley. “His commitment to taking care of his students and his staff has been evident from day one. Messalonskee Middle School is a great school, and their tradition of strong leadership is continuing with Mr. Dunbar.”
RSU 18 Messenger 