A Lackawanna County administrator has been named as the new principal at Peters Elementary School.

Northern Lehigh School Board on Monday appointed Brian Kelly to the post at a salary of $97,000, prorated for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year, on or about June 24.

Kelly thanked the board for his appointment, and said he’s “very excited to get started.”

Kelly, 40, of Moscow, has served as principal, Pre-K through sixth grade, at Forest City Regional Elementary School since July 2016.

Before that, he was principal, K-6, at Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center, July 2014 to June 2016; principal, Pre-K through high school, at The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, December 2012 to June 2014; and middle school counselor at Abington Heights Middle School, 2008-12.

After the meeting, Kelly said he’s eager to begin the next chapter in his career.

“I’m overjoyed, ecstatic, excited to be a part of this,” he said. “Not only the school district, but the community.”

Kelly said he’s looking forward to “becoming a part of the community.”

“I can’t wait to meet all the students and staff, and I look forward to learning all the time-honored traditions at Peters Elementary and the Northern Lehigh School District,” he said.

Kelly will take over for current Peters Principal Paul Leonzi, who will retire June 30 from the district after 35 years of service.

Leonzi began his tenure in the district as a teacher in 1984.

In June 2015, the then board approved the administrative transfer of Leonzi from acting principal to principal, at a salary of $92,721.

Leonzi was named acting assistant principal at Peters in December 2013. He became acting principal in July 2014.

He was initially appointed acting assistant principal, and then acting principal, after former school Principal Paul Rearden began to experience health-related issues.