BY DARRELL HALEN

Frank Bass considers himself more of an education leader than a manager.

“I’m very upfront, out there,” said Bass, 55, the new superintendent of the Windham and Pelham school districts.

“You’re not going to find me at the desk all that often. At least I hope not. I like to be out and about, roll up my sleeves and be involved. I want to know what’s going on.”

Bass succeeds Elaine Cutler, who served the communities for four years and is retiring this summer.

He brings to the job, which he started July 2, roughly 30 years of experience working in education. He spent the last six years as the assistant superintendent for middle and secondary schools in Manchester.

His new job comes with a unique opportunity: to build a high school in Windham from the ground up – hiring its staff and bringing in comprehensive, state-of-the-art programming.

“We now have the opportunity to look at public high school like we’ve never had before ... I think the potential for us in Windham for this new school is extraordinary.”

The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.

“When this high school is said and done, it will be one of the best in the state of New Hampshire, if not the best,” said Bass.

Bass grew up in North Haven, Conn., and received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of New Hampshire in English literature in 1974.

He earned a master’s degree in the same subject at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt., and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Boston College.

He has held a variety of positions through his career, including seven years teaching English at Memorial High School in Manchester, three years as dean of academic affairs at Westford Academy, and six years as principal of Hollis Brookline High School.

When Bass worked in Manchester, the city undertook a $105 million renovation and construction project for its schools.While Windham is building its new school, Pelham School Board members are pursuing a plan to build a new high school on a new site in their town.

Bass’ experience working in secondary education was cited when he was chosen by school board members in the two towns to succeed Cutler.

“We liked the fact he had a lot of high school experience,” said Windham School Board member Bruce Anderson. “That was an important factor for Pelham and Windham right now.”

As superintendent, Bass will oversee a pair of school districts that together have more than 4,000 students and spend roughly $53 million a year.

He has a three-year contract. His starting salary is $115,000.

Bass describes himself as a “people person,” someone who can get people to trust him, is a catalyst for change, works quickly, and likes to get things done.

“I think I consider myself something of a lightning rod,” Bass said. “I like to take on a lot of responsibility. I like it to come through me. I can then take that responsibility and ferry it out to the appropriate people or resources to make it happen.”

He said he likes to look out for new and exciting opportunities for students and believes in building good relationships with people to achieve success.

“You can’t just present things, you have to have people buy into them,” he said. “There has to be an ownership, a sense of community and commitment.”

Bass and his wife, Judy, live in Manchester. They have two children: Steve, who recently graduated from Central High School in Manchester where he was valedictorian of his class, and Laura, who works at Brown Brothers Harriman, a private bank in Boston that offers international investment services.

Bass said he is excited about his new position, but admits to feeling a bit anxious, too.

“There is always a certain amount of anxiety coming into a new job,” he said. “You don’t know what to expect.”

To become familiar with the communities he will be serving, Bass went to the Firemen’s Ball in Windham in March.

Cutler had invited him, and it was an opportunity to meet local officials from the two towns.

Cutler is spending two weeks with Bass before she departs.

“I’m trying to absorb as much as I can,” Bass said. “Going around to the schools, talking with the principals, getting information from them. The (school) boards will be very helpful. What’s also nice is, we’re in the summer months, so July and August will be a great opportunity to come up to speed.”