Mike Burnham, the executive director for interscholastic sports at the Maine Principals’ Association, has announced his retirement, effective at the end of the school year.

Burnham is in his seventh year in charge of the organization that oversees interscholastic sports and activities in Maine. He will continue in that role until June 30. Assistant executive director Mike Bisson will take over as the executive director on July 1. Bisson’s position will be advertised soon.

Burnham, 65, said his wife Tina retired from nursing last year, and he began to seriously plan his own retirement after a 44-year career in education.

“We’re both in pretty good health and we have eight grandchildren who are active and involved, and we would like to travel a little bit,” Burnham said. “I’ve certainly enjoyed my time here and come across some awfully nice people.”

Burnham was the MPA’s assistant director for 11 years under Dick Durost until Durost retired in 2019.

During Burnham’s time as assistant executive director and executive director, the MPA ushered in the inclusion of Unified sports, eight-player football and soccer and girls hockey. Unified sports are designed for the benefit of students with intellectual disabilities who compete with student partners, promoting inclusion in a school activity.

“The relationship with Special Olympics and the introduction of Unified sports and opening that door for the special needs kids is one of the top things I’m most proud of,” Burnham said.

Eight-man football, first played in the fall of 2019, has helped preserve the sport at several smaller schools, and football is now played at more schools than ever in Maine.

“And my first year (as assistant director) was the first year of girls ice hockey. To see how competitive those girls are, that’s been a really nice thing,” Burnham said.

The MPA is often the target of complaints when it comes to high school sports. Burnham said “there have been some challenges along the way, with COVID being certainly the biggest challenge.”

Gerry Durgin, the outgoing president of the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, worked with Burnham when both were assistant directors at the MPA, and in many capacities since.

“I worked up there, and that office gets blamed for everything, but without it we would be in so much trouble,” Durgin said. “You need someone who can handle that and come back the next day with focus for what’s best for the activities and our schools, and Michael has done that since day one.”

Durgin said Burnham has been “that steady voice, that steady influence,” for the state’s athletic directors and school administrators.

Burnham was recently named one of 13 recipients of the National Federation of State High School Association’s 2026 Citations, regarded by the NFHS as “one of the most highly regarded achievements,” in interscholastic activities.

A graduate of Winthrop High and Thomas College, with a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine, Burnham got his start in public education as a coach at Winthrop while still in college. After beginning his teaching career at Gardiner High, Burnham moved to Monmouth Academy, where he held many roles, including athletic director and assistant principal prior to becoming Monmouth’s principal, a position he held until joining the MPA.