New London — Assistant Superintendant of Schools Christine Carver has submitted her resignation effective May 1.

Carver has served as assistant superintendent for four years, first joining the district 12 years ago as a special needs teacher.

"It is with mixed emotions that I share with you that I have submitted a letter of resignation effective May 1," Carver wrote in an email, which was sent to The Day Thursday night by Valerie Tamano, manager of executive support services for New London Public Schools.

She has accepted a position in Newington as associate superintendent of schools and chief of staff in the office of human capital development.

"Working in the New London public schools has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me," Carver wrote in the email Thursday night. "The work has not been easy, but certainly worthwhile ... I am so proud to have been a part of the New London team and I want to thank all of you for your dedication, support and resiliency.

Superintendent of Schools Nicholas A. Fischer said Thursday night that he was aware of Carver's resignation before the email was sent.

"I knew she was in the running after she did her first interview," Fischer said. "I was aware that she was a finalist as soon as it happened, and I was aware that she was under very serious consideration as one of two finalists."

He said that process has taken several weeks.

Fischer said Carver became a department head of special education at New London High School after teaching, and then became head of special education services for the school district. Four years ago, she became the assistant superintendent.

"She's a very bright, high energy individual who has done a tremendous amount of work in the district," Fischer said.

"During her tenure, we created a K-through-12 English and a K-through-12 math curriculum, and are in the process of creating a science, social studies and art curriculum. There was a tremendous amount of work done during that period, and she managed a lot of it in the process."

Carver added one last thing in her email Thursday night: "New London will always have a place in my heart," she wrote. "After all, once a Whaler, always a Whaler!"

j.hanckel@theday.com