Board announces Paul Harries as interim high school principal starting July 1

The Merrimack Valley School Board announced on May 4 that Paul Harries has been appointed interim principal at the high school.

Assistant Superintendent (speaker 17) told the board that Harries is currently superintendent of the Newfound School District and previously served as a high-school principal and assistant principal. "He brings a great deal of experience," the assistant superintendent said, adding that Harries had accepted the interim role and that his technical start date is July 1. The assistant superintendent said Harries has already begun communicating with high school staff and arranging visits prior to the official start.

Board members asked whether the interim appointment could turn into a permanent hire. The assistant superintendent said that process "is something that we'll cross in the future," and emphasized the importance of staff feedback and community input if a permanent search is pursued.

The meeting record also noted two recent hires listed in the public packet: Caitlin Sackman as library/media specialist at the high school and Sarah Carson as an English teacher. Those hires were moved from the nonpublic packet to the public packet because Catherine now has hiring authorization.

The board did not vote on a permanent appointment at the meeting; it announced the interim placement and outlined that a future process would determine whether to open the position for broader application.