By AMANDA DUMOND
Democrat Staff Writer


"McKenney said it is time for her to return to New Hampshire education after serving four years at Marshwood Junior High School, where she has been principal since 2003. She has been in education for a total of 22 years. While she said it will be sad to leave Marshwood Junior High School, McKenney said she is ready to commit to her new job in Rochester.

"I honestly hope seventeen years from now I'll be able to retire from this community," she added. "To make changes you have to be willing to stick with it."

Prior to her current position in Eliot, Maine, she was the dean of students at Portsmouth Middle School from 2000-2003 and was a teacher at the Portsmouth Alternative School from 1997-2000. From 1986-1997 she worked as a special-education teacher in Dover and Portsmouth.

McKenney graduated from Keene State College in 1983, received her master's in administration and supervision from the University of New Hampshire in 2000, and is currently working on her certificate of advanced graduate studies at the University of New England.

She is married with two children. During her free time, she said, she likes to take long walks and "supervise" her husband redecorating their home.

McKenney is already meeting with Middle School staff and parents this week and next week so she can get a better sense of the school culture and its needs. The parent group also will meet with her at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Middle School library.

"I'm trying to engage the community even at this early stage," she added.

Knowing since the age of six she wanted to be an educator, McKenney also decided she wanted to work with children "for whom school is a difficult place."

"All kids need to achieve in public education," she added.

She said she later decided to become an administrator because she wanted to help make positive changes schoolwide and districtwide."