Pre-K-8 school looks for principal

With a partial opening scheduled for September, the pre-K-8 Penn-assisted public school has narrowed its search for a principal down to four candidates. Special Projects Coordinator Lucy Kerman said that a decision is expected to come anytime, from the next couple of weeks to a month. "It's very much at the final stages," she said. Though no names have been released as of yet, the candidates are all local and have previous experience as principals of other schools. The principal search committee consists of six people -- two each from the University, the school district and the community. Once a decision for the top position is made, school officials will begin advertising nationally for teachers. Staff members will also come on board and a curriculum will be finalized. Registration for students is currently in progress, but information on how many have enrolled is not yet available . Those involved with the project expect that four kindergarten classes and one first-grade class will be filled when the school opens partially in the fall. Kindergarten and first-grade students will be housed in the previously existing buildings, and the remaining grades will be phased in over the next few years. The school is scheduled to open completely in the fall of 2002. "There is a big hole. It's moving along," Kerman said of the construction for the school, which broke ground on March 1. -- Maite Amorebieta