RUMFORD – Mountain Valley Middle School Assistant Principal Ryan Casey was named by the SAD 43 board Monday as interim principal at the school for 2007-08 in a unusual way of trying to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Principal Charles Lever is retiring at the end of the school year after serving as the middle school’s only principal since its formation in 1989. Lever served his entire 38-year educational career in the SAD 43 district.

Casey, 34, now of Rumford, grew up in Mexico and graduated from Mountain Valley High School in 1991. After graduating from the University of Maine at Farmington with a degree in health education, he taught for two years at Telstar High School before he began his 10-year tenure at SAD 43. He has been a coach within the district since 1992.

Lever, 59, a Mexico High School graduate with a degree from the University of Maine in social studies and a graduate degree from the University of Southern Maine in educational leadership, has also served as interim principal at Mountain Valley High School when that school was searching for a principal.

“The superintendent is working hard to make sure there isn’t a gap,” Casey said.

He has been mentored for the position since he became assistant principal at the middle school two years ago. By the time he becomes principal, he will have earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Phoenix.

“Serving as interim principal will give Ryan a chance to try it,” Lever said.

In other matters on Monday, all but one member of the board voted to readmit a freshman boy following a 20-minute closed session with the boy and a parent. Rumford board member Tracey Higley abstained. No details were provided on the cause for his expulsion.

High school Principal Matt Gilbert said the boy had been out of school since sometime in the eighth grade.

In other matters, the board accepted the resignation of Rumford Elementary School teacher Dan Patterson, and high school guidance counselor Rene Perry.