Following a thorough search for a suitable candidate, Chris Mayfield was appointed principal of the high school at Tuesday’s school board meeting. Mayfield, currently the school’s associate principal, will replace current principal Gavin Goodrich, who resigned in March starting with the 2014-15 school year.

Mayfield was recently interviewed for the open position, recommended to the Board of Trustees by superintendent Ted Moore, and then approved for the position by the board with a unanimous 7-0 vote.

“When the job posting came up, and when Mr. Goodrich resigned, I knew that that was a position I was really interested in,” Mayfield said. “And being in the administration and working here, I am excited about the opportunity to continue to work here at Lovejoy and lead as principal.”

Although he has no immediate plans, Mayfield is looking forward to the future of the school under his leadership.

“I was certainly hopeful that I would be considered,” Mayfield said. “But I wouldn’t say that I was expecting it. I knew there would be a lot of people who would be interested, because it’s such a great school with great students and a great community. I was very excited, and relieved, it was something I’ve been hoping would happen. And when it became reality I was very, very excited.”

Before being hired as assistant principal in 2010, Mayfield worked more than 15 years at other high schools, with jobs ranging from football coach to U.S. history teacher to assistant principal.

“I’ve done many things that are school-wide, some of my responsibilities go across the school, but my main focus has been on the senior class and the senior projects, and that kind of part of the high school,” Mayfield said. “So as I get to transition into the principal role, then my focus will really move to be more than just with the seniors and some of the other responsibilities I’ve had, really to kind of be the whole high school experience for students.”

Because of his experience in the district as an assistant principal, the board is confident that Mayfield will exceed expectations.

“We were looking for somebody who had a lot of school experience, and who understood a lot of the things that we’re working on in Lovejoy,” Moore said. “And we’ve had the opportunity obviously to work with him for the last 4 years, and he’s just the natural fit to move into the position.”