Javier Perez (Photo provided)

SARANAC — The Saranac Central School District board has chosen Javier Perez as its next superintendent of schools.

He was appointed at the school board meeting on June 7, according to a news release issued Friday.

Currently, Perez is the principal of AuSable Valley High School, and he will begin his duties at Saranac on July 8.

The search was coordinated by Champlain Valley Educational Services District Superintendent Mark Davey, who worked closely with the Saranac Central School Board to place statewide notices and advertisements, conduct a community survey, host a candidates’ open forum and involved a Stakeholders Committee in the search, the release said.

Perez will step into the shoes of Superintendent Jonathan Parks, who is retiring. Parks served as superintendent since July 1, 2014. Prior to that, he worked in the district in a variety of positions, including high school principal.

Perez has more than 13 years of experience in education, serving as AuSable Valley High School principal for the past six years and as a middle school Spanish teacher at AVCS and Lake Placid before becoming an administrator.

He received his Certificate of Advanced Study from SUNY Plattsburgh and is certified by the State Education Department as a school district leader.