Principal search on the homestretch

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Arnold Frank, who has retired as principal of Woodland Regional High School, is serving as interim principal until his successor is in place. The Region 16 Board of Education is expected to name the new principal later this month.  –FILE PHOTO
Arnold Frank, who has retired as principal of Woodland Regional High School, is serving as interim principal until his successor is in place. The Region 16 Board of Education is expected to name the new principal later this month. –FILE PHOTO

REGION 16 — The Region 16 school district has netted 22 applications for the principal position at Woodland Regional High School in Beacon Falls.

A selection team in the search for a new principal has chosen six semifinalists to interview this week, Superintendent of Schools Tim James said last week.

The team then will identify three finalists to be brought forward to the Region 16 Board of Education for interviews and final selection, he said. Region 16 serves Beacon Falls and Prospect schools.

James said he expects the board to select a candidate at its Aug. 28 meeting, and for that person to be on board by early October.

The selected candidate will replace Woodland’s first principal, Arnold Frank. Frank, of Bethany, led the school for the past 13 years before he retired on June 30.

He submitted his letter of retirement June 19. He has said there’s no one reason why he is retiring now. It’s just time to think about doing something else, he said.

In June, the school board appointed Frank as the interim principal during the search and transition for a new school leader. Under the interim position, Frank is paid $657.37 a day.

Board members at that time also approved a search process and timeline. According to the timeline, a new principal was to begin by Oct. 1.

Frank served 33 years in his career as a principal. He served seven years as principal at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge before coming to Beacon Falls.

Frank was here before Woodland opened in September 2001. His office then was housed at Laurel Ledge School. In his retirement letter, Frank in part said, “Serving as the principal of Woodland High School for the past 13 years has been a dream come true for me.”