WINDHAM - The town of Windham will soon have a school administrative unit of its own, with a new superintendent at the helm.

During a unanimous vote at Tuesday night's school board meeting, the board presented a three-year contract to Winfried Feneberg.

Feneberg, 52, is no stranger to enriching the lives of young people. He's served as assistant superintendent in both the Timberlane and Hampstead school districts since 2007, and is also a former school psychologist and special education director.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Henry LaBranche, who currently oversees School Administrative Unit 28 encompassing Pelham and Windham, plans to retire this summer. In July, Windham will officially split from Pelham to form its own district, School Administrative Unit 95.

Feneberg's starting salary is $131,500, school officials said.

The new superintendent's hire marks the end of an extensive, yearlong search on the part of the district's superintendent search committee. Sixteen applicants had initially expressed interest in the position. Over the course of many months, the applicant pool was gradually narrowed to two finalists: Dr. Richard Bergeron, superintendent of the ConVal school district, and Feneberg.

Early last month the two finalists had the chance to meet and address questions from parents during a public candidate's forum.

Feneberg said his decision to leave Timberlane and Hampstead wasn't an easy one, but he saw the Windham position as "an amazing opportunity."

He vowed to work closely with district staff and parents to meet common goals, the district's most recent goal being the success of a $31 million warrant item on the March ballot for the construction of a new middle school.

During the January public forum, Feneberg stressed the importance of teamwork. "You need to be open and willing to learn," he said. "I'm always willing to listen to what everyone else contributes."