Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School assistant principal Jeremy Light has been tapped to lead the Oak Bluffs School next year, taking over for retiring principal Megan Farrell. 

Superintendent of schools Richard Smith announced the hiring on Wednesday in a letter to parents and community members, saying Mr. Light’s 20 years in education as an administrator and a teacher show great promise in the new role. 

Mr. Light will start on July 1. During a phone interview in the middle of high school graduation rehearsal Thursday, he said the moment was a bittersweet one. He loved his time at the regional high school, getting to know students there, but he said he was excited to take on the challenge of becoming a principal. 

“I feel like I’m ready to run my own building,” he said.

Mr. Light was drawn to the Oak Bluffs School because of its community, and he wanted to prioritize a sense of well-being and safety within the school. In his letter of interest for the role, he said he was also committed to building relationships with parents and the town, implementing innovative teaching and inspiring staff. 

Mr. Light has personal ties to the elementary school. His son just graduated from eighth grade there, his daughter is in seventh grade and his wife is a teacher there. Mr. Light also coached the eighth grade basketball team at the school to a state title last year.

Mr. Light’s hiring is the last of several principal shifts at the elementary school level on the Island. There will be three different principals when schools reconvene in the fall. In addition to Mr. Light’s new role at the Oak Bluffs School, Concord teacher Kate Squires is taking over at the Chilmark School and John Stevens is temporarily holding the reins at the Edgartown School. 

Oak Bluffs School committee member Rizwan Malik said the district is thrilled that Mr. Light took the job. 

“Jeremy’s bringing some excellent experience with him being an administrator at the high school for the last seven years,” Mr. Malik said. 

Mr. Malik was impressed with Mr. Light’s work heading student affairs at the high school, he said, and he expected that Mr. Light would continue to have a great rapport with pupils in the next school year. While this role is new, Mr. Malik believed Mr. Light could handle the job. 

“He will be a first-time principal, but he is so willing to learn,” Mr. Malik said.