Hanover — The Hanover School Board has announced that its finalist for interim principal at the Bernice A. Ray School is Kevin Cotter, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at the Richmond Middle School and a former board chairman in town.

The School Board’s top pick for the one-year position is scheduled to meet with parents and staff on Monday, after which the board’s executive committee will convene and discuss a potential hire.

“I’m excited,” Cotter said about his selection as sole finalist. “It’s a great school, and I’m familiar with it because I have two children that have gone through it,” plus another currently attending.

An educator since 1999, Cotter served for six years on the Hanover School Board, stepping down in 2014 after a year as chairman. He said he had not formally served in an administrative role before.

If hired, Cotter would stand in for former Principal Matthew Laramie, who resigned in February amid allegations of questionable expense account charges.

Earlier this month, a finalist for the permanent job dropped out and instead took a position as principal at the Enfield Village School.

During a School Board meeting where a vocal group of parents said that they preferred another candidate, Cotter spoke out in support of the board’s search process and urged community members to “have faith.”

The interim principal will serve for a year, according to Superintendent Frank Bass. The search for a permanent official is slated to begin in December or January, but could start as soon as November, he said.

Hanover will solicit candidates nationally, but Cotter is welcome to apply as well, Bass said.

Asked whether he’d consider doing so, Cotter chuckled.

“Given it’s only been about 24 hours or so, I don’t know, to be honest with you,” he said.

Bass said the search committee had selected Cotter unanimously, and expressed excitement about the choice.

“He’s a very caring, compassionate individual,” Bass said Friday. “He connects well with parents and teachers alike, and he has the capacity to see the big picture.”

In a letter to the community on Thursday, Bass said Cotter’s references had been checked and he has been invited to spend a half day at the Ray School on Monday.

Although administrators won’t distribute evaluation forms at that time, the letter said, parents can share their thoughts with Bass, members of the School Board, or parent search-committee representatives Michele Sacerdote and Arun Biswas.

Two meet and greets are scheduled for that morning, the first at 7 a.m. and then at 11:30 a.m.

Bass’ letter also said the search for an interim assistant principal would begin the week of May 22, with the hope of nominating someone in June.

Rob Wolfe can be reached at rwolfe@vnews.com or at 603-727-3242.