The Portland Board of Public Education selected a new principal for Lincoln Middle School on Tuesday night.

Marisa Ayala is scheduled to start her new job on July 1, succeeding Robyn Bailey, who is serving as interim principal this school year. Ayala is currently an assistant principal in Boston Public Schools and also has experience in Chicago’s public school system.  

Marisa Ayala

“Marisa is an exceptional trilingual candidate whose work as a teacher and leader has centered (on) diverse students in urban settings,” Superintendent Xavier Botana said in a statement on Tuesday night.

Lincoln serves around 450 students. Forty percent are students of color and 15 percent are English language-learners, the statement said. 

Ayala is fluent in Spanish and speaks French. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from DePaul University, a master’s in school leadership from Harvard University, and a master’s in bilingual education and as a reading specialist from National Saint Louis University. 

Ayala was selected from an initial pool of 18 candidates and vetted by a committee of 12 Lincoln staff and parents and chosen by district leadership.