WEST SPRINGFIELD/LONGMEADOW – West Springfield Public Schools (WSPS) has a new director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, one that comes with significant experience.

“Dr. [Neil] Gile comes to us with a vast background and experience in the area of elementary education,” as well as secondary education, said WSPS Superintendent Tim Connor. Gile spent time as director of curriculum in the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District – a role he coincidentally took over from Connor.

Of Gile, Connor said, “He’s done a lot of work in the area of assessment. He’s also done a lot of work in curriculum writing, so we are excited to see how he can support our students.”

The curriculum, instruction and assessment position opened up in West Springfield when Connor, who formerly held that role, became Superintendent in February.

Gile left his position as the principal of Williams Middle School in Longmeadow to move into his new position at the district level in WSPS on Sept. 21.

“I am happy to support Dr. Gile’s decision as one that provides him with a wonderful opportunity to grow professionally and lead at the district level,” Longmeadow Public Schools (LPS) Superintendent Martin O’Shea said in a statement.

The administration at LPS will be shuffling faculty in order to fill the hole left by Gile’s departure. Principal Dr. Elizabeth Nelson of Wolf Swamp Road School will move to Williams Middle School. Formerly an assistant principal at Glenbrook Middle School, Nelson is familiar with being a middle school administrator.

Marie Pratt, who until recently was the interim principal at Mile Tree Elementary School in Wilbraham, will become principal at Wolf Swamp Road School. Before that post, Pratt spent 10 years as the principal at Blueberry Hill Elementary School.

O’Shea touted the benefits of having experienced administrators in the district who can step into these roles.