BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Students, parents and staff at Nightengale Elementary School will see a new face in the principal's office next year with the resignation of Principal Amy Wells.

School board members accepted her resignation recently but Wells won't be going far as she transitions to her new role as the district's director of special education beginning on July 1.

Board members previously accepted the resignation of Director of Special Education Megan Castell in October, though her resignation is effective June 30.

Superintendent Ron Burke said he felt Wells was a great fit for the role and voiced his support for her during the December board meeting.

“She does a remarkably good job for us as principal at Nightengale. She’s looking for a little bit of change,” he said.

Burke said Wells is hoping to get "back to her roots" since she started out as a special education teacher.

"In all likelihood she'll go full circle," Burke said.

With Wells slated to move into her new role in July, Burke said the search is on to find her replacement.

He said district officials looked internally at current administrators to see if anyone was interested in transferring but there was no indication anyone was interested.

"That’s always a good sign that people are happy where they are,” he said.

Burke said the district will now begin advertising for Wells' replacement, noting that starting so early gives the district enough time to go through one or two rounds and will allow them "to hold out until we find the absolute best candidate we can get."

"I know, looking at the other areas of education, there’s certainly a shortage of very highly qualified individuals willing to take on administrative roles. But, we’re not going to just settle for anybody. We really have almost a good, solid six months to do the search and get it right," Burke said.

The extended timeline also affords Wells time to get up to speed with Castell to learn the ins and outs of her future position, Burke said.

He also commented that the future principal will also have time to work with Wells at Nightengale to bring them up to speed as well.

But Burke said it may not all be smooth sailing for the special education department as pending retirements may leave a number of positions in limbo.

Burke told board members he was "extraordinarily nervous" because so few special education and teaching candidates are available in the North Country.

“I’m looking at a very strong potential of not having the ability to fill some of those positions by Sept. 1," Burke said.