The Portland Board of Public Education voted Tuesday to appoint a new principal for Casco Bay High School.

Priya Natarajan, who currently serves as the school’s assistant principal, will take over as principal on July 1.

Priya Natarajan. Contributed/ Portland Public Schools.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the Casco Bay community as its second principal,” Natarajan said in a statement from the Portland Public Schools Tuesday night.

“I am committed to celebrating and deepening the traditions that make our school a special place to learn and teach, especially our commitment to expeditionary learning and crew.”

Natarajan will replace Derek Pierce, who announced in February that he would be stepping down at the end of the school year after serving as the school’s founding and only principal for the last 19 years.

“Priya Natarajan is absolutely the right leader at the right time for Casco Bay,” Pierce said. “She’s long internalized and actualized Casco’s distinct vision for excellence, and she has the skills and wisdom needed to guide CBHS to evolve and improve as it should. Ms. Natarajan will deepen both the rigor and the joy in our community.”

Natarajan was appointed assistant principal of Casco Bay High School this past summer. She previously served as interim dean of students and was a “crew” leader and math teacher at the school for seven years.

She first joined the Portland district in 2002 to work at Deering High School and prior to that was a founding teacher at the Boston Arts Academy in Boston Public Schools. She holds a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s in mathematics from Ohio University, according to the district.

Superintendent Ryan Scallon also praised Natarajan Tuesday.

“Our commitment throughout the process was to select a principal who embodies Casco Bay High School’s values, inspires our community, and champions the success of every student,” he said in the district’s statement. “After considering a total of eight candidates, the interview team and I are satisfied that Priya meets that description and more. Her vision, experiences and her in-depth connections with Casco will help ensure a smooth leadership transition for the school.”