John W. Decas Elementary Principal Aaron Viera has resigned for personal and family reasons, Wareham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch confirmed Tuesday.

Rabinovitch said that though there has been some speculation about whether the staff was unhappy with Viera, "there are some that are happy with leadership and some that are not." He stressed: “This was a personal, family thing.”

Viera was hired in 2009, when former principal Ana Miranda took on the role of Director of Operations/Finance for the district.

Christine Panarese, who left the district seven years ago after working as a math teacher for more than a decade, will take over as principal of the school, Rabinovitch said. She most recently served as an elementary school principal in Swansea.

"[Panarese] graduated from Wareham High and wanted to come back to Wareham," Rabinovitch said.

Panarese was being considered for an assistant principal position within the district, to replace a retiring employee. "When I saw that she had principal experience, I thought she was the right person for the job," Rabinovitch said.