Principal chosen for elementary school

PARISHVILLE — A Malone educator who grew up in Alaska has been hired as elementary school principal at Parishville-Hopkinton Central School.

School board members unanimously approved Brooke Lange Reid to take over duties for Pamela J. Claus, who will retire in December.

Ms. Lange Reid earned her bachelor's degree in 1993 and her master's degree in 1996 from SUNY Potsdam. She earned her certificate of advanced study in school building level administrator from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2008.

She taught at several levels in Malone, and served as an administrative intern at Davis Elementary during the 2007-08 school year.

Ms. Lange Reid said she was enticed to apply for the elementary school principal's job at Parishville in part because the closeness of the town and the school district reminded her of her years growing up in the small town of Bethel, Alaska, where there were no roads to the community of 4,000 and people were transported in and out by bush pilots.

"This school has such great programs already in place and a very cohesive group of educators. I plan to just step in and try to make a smooth transition," she said.

High school Principal Darin P. Saiff, who will take over the superintendent's post next month, said Ms. Lange Reid was one of about 30 applicants who applied for the administrator's job at Parishville-Hopkinton.