SOUTH HADLEY — The principal and assistant principal at Michael E. Smith Middle School will both not return for next school year.

According to an email sent to the guardians of Michael E. Smith students on April 30, Assitant Principal Anne Scanlan-Emigh announced her departure a couple weeks prior to the Principal Chris Fontaine reported he is taking a job closer to his family.

The email, written by Interim Superintendent Mark McLaughlin, did not detail Scanlan-Emigh’s reason for leaving.

“Many important changes are about to occur at the middle school. My purpose in writing this afternoon is to reassure you that efforts are already underway to plan for the next administration at Michael E. Smith,” the email reads.

So far, McLaughlin says the district has already received applications for assistant principal and the district will form an interview committee to interview these applicants. The application for a new principal has been posted, and the district has reached out to parents and guardians about a second interview committee for the principal.

Neither Scanlan-Emigh nor Fountaine could be reached for comment.

“Change is never easy and change of this size and speed will be challenging, temporarily, for sure,” McLaughlin wrote. “But since we know that change is inevitable, we are ready and well positioned to meet this challenge and to find and install the leaders MESMS needs to continue the excellent work provided by Mr. Fontaine and Mrs. Scanlan-Emigh.”

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.