New London — The New London School District on Thursday announced the hiring of Carlos X. Leal, a veteran educator from Rochester, N.Y., as the new principal of Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School.

He will start at the K-5 arts-themed magnet school by Sept. 10, according to a statement from the school district. He fills a vacancy left with the recent retirement of former Principal Donna Slate.

Scott Morgan, dean of students, will assume the role of interim principal until Leal starts. Jaye Wilson, former New London Public Schools administrator, will provide additional support through September.

Leal most recently worked as the assistant principal at Mary McLeod Bethune, School 45, a K-8 school in Rochester, N.Y. which earned the designation as a Reading First model school.

He has also served as an instructional coach, teacher and professional development provider and has first-hand knowledge of Reader’s and Writer’s Workshops, inquiry-based mathematics instruction and arts integration, according to the news release.

Leal has served as the instructional director for the Office of Professional Learning in the Rochester City School District for eight years.

In addition to his administrative certification, he is a certified pre-K, K-6 and art K-8 teacher.

Leal also worked with the 24th Street Experiment, a professional theater company, in San Antonio, Texas, and has extensive experience in theater, puppetry and coaching student storytellers.

A 2011 graduate of Learning Forward Academy, Leal also completed training at the Principals Leadership Institute in Leading and Sustaining School Change at the Fordham University Graduate School of Education in New York City.

“It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I accept an invitation to become a member of the Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School community,” Leal said in a statement. “I am truly honored and humbled to be appointed to the position of Principal and am looking forward to working with staff and community members to positively impact every student. The prospect of leading a school committed to creative ways to enhance the learning process is an exciting one. I hope to share my experiences and learn from those currently working at the campus as we inspire one another to explore creative teaching styles and increase student achievement together.”