The Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District community learned Feb. 26, longtime basketball coach IJ Pinkham, special education teacher Toby LeConte and Boothbay Region High School office secretary Diana Holmes will not be back next school year. BRHS Athletic Director Allan Crocker announced Pinkham will not seek to renew his coaching contract for the next basketball season. Special Services Director Lisa Smith said special education budgets will be up so administrators can plan ahead for LeConte’s replacement.

“We thought they should just be commended. They've affected a lot of kids over the many years they've been here,” said CSD school committee chair Larry Colcord. “It'll be interesting for them to try something else that they haven't done for many years.”

Pinkham was inducted into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. He has coached 50 years of high school basketball, 46 with the Seahawks.

LeConte and Holmes will also leave big holes in their schools’ communities. For many years, Holmes has been the buffer between BRHS and every parent, visitor and student coming into the building. LeConte has been a longtime champion of special needs students, their families and Maine’s Special Olympics.

“Toby was here when I was in elementary school,” reflected Colcord.

“I always remember having to walk by her classroom,” said CSD committee vice-chair Stephanie Hawke. “You could be running down the hall, but you get there and – I messed that up once. Only once!”

Pinkham, having already retired as a high school teacher, is not renewing his contract as coach of the boys Seahawks basketball team. Holmes will retire effective July 1; LeConte, Aug. 31.