Maine is known for its commitment to education, at all levels. Today we speak with Hebron Academy head of school Daniel Marchetti and Luke Shorty, executive director of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, a top-ranked charter school in Limestone.
Luke Shorty is the executive director of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics (MSSM) and a 1998 graduate from MSSM. Originally from Fairfield, Maine, he returned to teach and eventually lead MSSM after getting his bachelor and master’s in mathematical sciences at University of Maine Farmington and Montana State University, respectively. Under his six years of leadership the school’s population has increased by 1.5 times, both its academic and summer programs have been expanded, and it’s begun distance education outreach for middle schools through a grant with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the school as the 10th-best high school in the nation for science, math, engineering, and technology and 19th-best overall high school.
Before joining the Hebron community as head of school, Dan Marchetti was at the Grammar School in Putney, Vermont, where he also served as head of school. During his tenure there, the school engaged in comprehensive strategic and campus master planning processes, significantly expanded its admissions outreach and marketing strategies, developed a framework for a comprehensive capital campaign, and undertook a total curricular review and renewal.
Prior to the Grammar School, Dan was a teacher, coach, dorm parent, admissions officer, dean of students and ultimately assistant headmaster at the Hillside School in Massachusetts. While there, in addition to his other duties, he led the Strategic Planning Task Force and was a member of the Trustee Audit Committee. In addition to his broad teaching and administrative experience in independent schools, Dan has long been involved in leadership training as an instructor at both Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School.
Dan grew up in, and graduated from, the Loomis Chaffee School, where his parents were faculty members, and went on to St. Lawrence University for his bachelor’s and then to the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, where he earned a master’s in educational administration.
