Wareham Middle School has a new principal.

On Thursday, Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood announced that the school’s interim principal, Tracie Cote, had accepted the position.

“We are very happy to have her join us,” said Shaver-Hood.

Cote took over this past summer from previous Principal Dr. Peter Steedman who left for a position on Martha’s Vineyard.

Cote is a veteran of Wareham Public Schools with 25 years of experience. She started out as a special education teacher in the middle school. More recently, she served as assistant principal for both Minot and Decas Schools.

This fall, she helped over see a major transition that brought more students into the middle school following the closing of Minot Forest Elementary. The nearly 60-year-old school closed to make way for a new multi-million elementary school that will house Minot and Decas students. Construction is set to begin in the next couple years.