There will be a new principal at St. Luke's School next year.

Officials at the school recently announced that Patricia Bartel will serve as the next principal at the private religious school in Barrington. She will replace Maureen Jannetta, who is leaving the school to relocate to Florida.

Ms. Bartel has been working at St. Pius V School in Providence.

"She was a member of the Peace Corps in Ecuador and exhibits a deep faith and spirituality in everything she does," stated a release from St. Luke's School. "A lifelong teacher, she has been at St. Pius in various capacities since 1998 where she developed and managed the Lighthouse Program. This unique resource program was created to ‘meet the individual needs of students who required support and/or enrichment in Preschool through Grade 8’. She has also been intimately involved in curriculum development."

Ms. Bartel will take over her new role at St. Luke's on July 1.

Meanwhile, the St. Luke's School community will be saying good-bye to long-time leader Ms. Jannetta. In early May, St. Luke's Pastor Father Bob Hawkins sent a letter to parents of St. Luke's School students announcing Ms. Jannetta's resignation.

"I was of course disappointed to hear this news," he wrote. "Mrs. Jannetta he has been a wonderful SLS Principal for nine years and a constant ‘champion’ for our students’ academic and spiritual development. She will be greatly missed and I am grateful for all that she has accomplished in her tenure."

St. Luke's School officials conducted an extensive search for a new principal following Mrs. Jannetta's announcement. A search committee was established and a number of people showed interest in the position.

"Because of our outstanding reputation; strong parish, outstanding faculty, dynamic student body and two time Blue Ribbon School of Excellence we received interest from 14 strong candidates," Father Bob wrote. "Six candidates received personal interviews with the entire committee and two finalists were submitted to me last week. It should be mentioned that all decisions by the committee had to be unanimous by Diocesan rule."