After receiving the resignation of West Mercer Elementary principal Rich Mellish, the Mercer Island School District announced Aimee Batliner-Gillette will serve as interim principal at West Mercer for the 2014-15 school year.

Mellish, who served as principal at West Mercer for six years and was working on superintendent certification this year, accepted an elementary principal position with the Issaquah School District.

Batliner-Gillette served as associate principal for all three elementary schools last year, helping with supervision at each school and taking on administrative responsibilities. Before working on Mercer Island, Batliner-Gillette worked as a literacy coach with the Tukwila School District, and before that was a trainer and coach for the Douglas County School District in Colorado. She has a master’s degree in English language arts from Regis University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

“She’s a good choice in the sense that she knows the school well,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano. “We’re fortunate that she’s on the team and was able to step in on such short notice.”

A full interview process for the permanent West Mercer principal position is next spring. The district will now search for an associate principal.