New Mentor High School Principal Greets District

Mentor Schools Board of Education approved the contract for its new principal .

William Wade will replace the retiring Joe Spiccia after the school year ends.

Wade came to the board meeting and spoke briefly.

"It's an honor and, with much excitement, I accept the position at Mentor Schools," he said.

Wade has been the Riverside High School principal for the last three years. He said it will be different at Mentor High, managing a school with 800 more students than at Riverside, but he's not intimidated.

"It will be a change but it doesn't blow my mind," he said.

He said he expects the toughest part of his job will be getting familiar with all the students and staff so they feel comfortable with him.

He hopes to, as he puts it, "make a big school seem small."

Wade will have at least one familiar face with him. The school board also hired James McMahon for next year as a unit principal at Mentor High School. McMahon is an assistant principal at LaMuth Middle School in the Riverside School District.

The board also approved some other administration changes at the meeting. Director of Curriculum Barbara Bonnes will leave her position at the end of the school year to become principal.

Pam Hutto will be hired to fill Bonnes' shoes as curriculum director.