A replacement for West Seattle High's outgoing principal Susan Ders/ probably won't be appointed until the end of the school year, said Patti Spencer, spokeswoman for Seattle Public Schools.

The district is working on a "combination of leadership roles for the interim period," said Spencer.

Ders/, who has spent the past 18-and-a-half years as a high school principal for the Shoreline, Kent, and Seattle school districts, has been on medical leave for most of the school year.

In November, interim principal Judy Peterson announced Ders/ would be returning after the winter break for the second half of the school year. Then Ders/ announced in February that she was leaving the school permanently.

In a letter to students, staff and parents, Ders/ said she would take an assistant principal job elsewhere in the district due to stress and health related concerns. Ders/ is now assistant principal at Roosevelt High School.

She said being an assistant principal would allow her to spend more time "one-on-one with students" and "work directly with teachers on instruction."

Peterson's last day at West Seattle High was last Friday. Peterson, a retired Seattle School District employee, had been filling in for Ders/ since Sept. 18.

Ders/ spent three years as principal of Garfield High before coming to West Seattle High in the 2004-2005 school year. She replaced Phil Brockman, now principal of Ballard High School.

Brockman is lending his professional support to West Seattle High administration during the transitional period, as well as filling an interim spot as the district's director of secondary education.

The district is looking to fill nine principal openings, including at West Seattle.

"A vast majority are due to retirement," said Spencer.

Through February and last month the district has been screening and interviewing candidates. On March 24, the top candidates will visit the schools for site-based interviews.

Interviews should be wrapped up by early April and appointments made by the middle of that month. Typically, the start date for a new principal is July 1.

"In an ideal word, if a desired candidate was available to start at the school earlier than the summer we'd certainly work towards that," said Spencer. "But the most important thing is they get a quality principal for West Seattle to carry on its successes."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@ballardnewstribune.com