The Park City Board of Education hired a new principal for Parley's Park Elementary School at its meeting Tuesday morning. David Gomez will replace Michele Wallace, the former principal who left the school district last month to take a position in Huntsville, Ala. as the Challenger Elementary School principal.

Superintendent Ray Timothy had little more than a month to find a replacement for Wallace and get the board to approve the new hire.

"It was a problem for us, going so late into the interview process," Timothy said. "Usually we would like to have several months to select a candidate."

"But this will be a full-time, ongoing position," he added. "We had applicants from all over Utah, some from out of state, all with very exceptional experience. And we feel good about the candidate we've selected from the applicants."

Gomez currently serves as the principal of the Kearns-based Gourley Elementary School in the Granite School District, the largest district in Utah covering West Valley, South Salt Lake and other townships along the Wasatch Front. He has an extensive career in education including working with schools receiving federal Title I funding, a program focused on providing educational services to economically disadvantaged students, according to a press release from the Park City School District.

Before joining the Granite School District, Gomez also served as an elementary school principal in the Jordan School District and as an Associate Director for the Granite School District's Educational Equity Department.

"We are excited that David will be able to join us in Park City," Timothy said in the press release. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. Michele will be difficult to replace but we are confident David will continue and build upon her legacy of excellence."

Gomez earned his Master's Degree of Education in Public School Administration from the University of Utah.