When school opens again this fall, students going to Prides Corner School will have a new principal.

Last week, Prides Corner Principal John Flaherty resigned to take a job as principal of the Lunt School, a kindergarten-through-second-grade school in Falmouth.

Flaherty is the fourth Westbrook school administrator to resign or retire this year. Previously, Assistant Superintendent Mike Kane and Saccarappa School Principal Sharon Orlando announced their retirements effective at then end of this year, and last month, Wescott Junior High School Principal Martha Corkery announced she was leaving the school to take a position at the University of New England.

Flaherty has worked in the Westbrook schools for 20 years, the last seven of them as principal of Prides Corner. Prior to becoming principal at Prides Corner, Flaherty worked as a teacher at the junior high school and Congin and Canal schools.

While he is excited about his new position, Flaherty said he would miss working in Westbrook. “The staff at Prides Corner is unbeatable,” he said. “They’re great.”

While Flaherty said he would be leaving behind a good staff at Prides Corner, the opportunity in Falmouth was too good to pass up. “Falmouth has a wonderful reputation, and I heard a lot of positive things about the Lunt School,” he said. “Openings like this don’t occur in Falmouth often, so I decided to give it a shot.”

Flaherty said he is grateful for the support the Prides Corner School community has shown him during his time as principal. “The people here are just great,” he said. “The parents are supportive, and the kids are wonderful.”