At a special board meeting of the Lopez Island School District Board of Directors unanimously approved Superintendent Bill Evans’ recommendation to hire Marc Vermeire as the new secondary level principal for Lopez Schools. After an extensive and thorough search process the district chose the San Juan Island resident and Friday Harbor High School teacher to be the half-time leader of the middle and high school.

Vermeire will also teach high school science to round out a full-time contract. The administrative part of the position will start July 1 with the science position to begin at the start of the 2009-10 school year.

Vermeire has 10 years as a classroom teacher and recently served as vice principal and athletic director at Friday Harbor High School. With degrees from Augustana College, National Taiwan University, and Western Washington University in biology and Asian studies, Vermeire received his administrative credentials from Western Washington University in 2006. Lopez will be his first principal position.

“The Lopez Schools are thrilled to have Marc join our team,” Superintendent Evans said. “His credentials are rock-solid and he really impressed the interview teams and all who were part of the process.”

The Lopez Island School District continues its search for an elementary principal and a superintendent to fill vacancies created by the retirements of Principal Roland MacNichol and Superintendent Evans. There is a great deal of interest in the positions, according to district officials. Parents, students, staff, community and members of the school board have all been significantly involved in the process of searching for new leaders for the schools.