lewiston – Two longtime city school principals are retiring once classes end for the summer.

Lewiston High School Principal Patrick H. O’Neill is leaving.

O’Neill, who has been the principal of Lewiston High since 2001, is moving to Aroostook County with his wife to take care of her parents. O’Neill plans to continue his career in the Van Buren area.

Before being principal at Lewiston, O’Neill was principal at the Telstar High School and Middle School in Bethel, was director of the Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical Center in South Easton, Mass., and director of the Hancock Regional Vocational Center in Ellsworth.

O’Neill served in the Army Reserve and Maine National Guard from 1991-94, and is a retired Marine Safety Officer in the Coast Guard reserve. He began his career as a teaching principal at the Adams School in Castine.

Farwell Elementary School Principal Linda Golding, 59, is retiring.

Golding, who lives in Lewiston, has spent the past 19 years as an elementary principal in Lewiston. Before that she was a teacher.

“I have loved always being a principal, but it’s time that I do something,” Golding said. “I’m not sure what. I’ll wait and see what bubbles.”

Golding led Farwell for the past three years. Before that she was principal at MacMahon and Montello elementary schools. Before that she taught at Livermore Falls.

Compared to when she began her career, today’s elementary students are different, Golding said.

“Their knowledge and information is much more sophisticated. They’re growing up quicker. They have more issues they bring with them from everything they’re exposed to, the wider range of media they have.”

Golding said she’s retiring with mixed feelings. She’ll miss her students, the staff and parents. In the early grades “the kids are so wide eyed, so eager. Then in the fifth and sixth grade you see them begin to mature, becoming young ladies and gentlemen. That is interesting and exciting.”

Replacing Golding at Farwell will be Lewiston native Linda St. Andre, 48, of Turner. St. Andre is Title I literacy coordinator for Pettingill Elementary School and the Lewiston Middle School.

Title I is a program for students who need extra help because they’re having difficulty in the classroom or reading below grade level. Before working on Title I, St. Andre taught first and sixth grades at Montello, Farwell and Martel elementary schools, as well as special education.

St. Andre said she’s excited and honored to lead “such a wonderful school. It has a strong staff. And we’re going to have a brand new school.”

Her immediate goal will be to have a productive 2006-07 year, then help her students and staff have a smooth transition next fall. In September of 2007 the school, which is now holding classes at the old Holy Family school, will reopen the new Farwell School on Farwell Street.

A new principal for Montello Elementary School is expected to be named by the school board on June 19.

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