Beth Nolan will step down as principal of West Marin and Inverness Schools in June, ending a five-year tenure that brought stability after a tumultuous period in the district. In an announcement to the school community this month, Ms. Nolan said she planned to return to the Boston area to be closer to family and friends. She taught there for a decade and worked as an assistant principal in Chelsea, Mass., before coming to Shoreline in 2019.

“This was a very difficult decision to make,” Ms. Nolan wrote. “The Shoreline Unified School District is an integral part of my life. My time at West Marin-Inverness has allowed me to work with wonderful students, a talented staff, and dedicated colleagues.”

Ms. Nolan has master’s degrees in elementary education and special education from Boston College and a Ph.D. in education from Boston University. When she arrived at West Marin in early 2019, she became the third interim principal to serve in a single year. 

The turbulent period preceding her arrival began after a dispute between former principal Matt Nagle and the district leadership, which demoted him after he challenged the longstanding former Marin County Superintendent of Schools in the 2018 election. 

Mr. Nagle had served as principal for six years but was abruptly reassigned to teach kindergarten in Bodega Bay. He sued the district, alleging that it had retaliated against him for criticizing district policies during his campaign. He left after receiving a $700,000 settlement.

“I walked into a situation that could have been very difficult, but we have a great staff,” Ms. Nolan told the Light. “Going into that climate was challenging, but they made everything work.”

With 170 students, enrollment at the schools is roughly the same today as when she arrived. The staff grew from nine teachers to 10 after the district added a pre-kindergarten class last year. Ms. Nolan led the schools during the pandemic, coping with remote learning and overseeing a relatively smooth transition back to classroom instruction. “It was challenging, but we all just worked through it,” she said. “I can’t compliment our staff enough.”

Adam Jennings, the district superintendent, praised Ms. Nolan’s leadership during and after the pandemic, when students had to make up for lost ground. “As a collaborative principal, she worked closely with her community to ensure that their pandemic responses reflected a variety of ideas and opinions,” he said. “She really did a fantastic job of seeing West Marin and Inverness Schools through those difficult times.”

Ms. Nolan set a high standard for the district staff, he added.

Marianne Recher, a parent who serves on the school site council, said Ms. Nolan was receptive to ideas from community members, such as last fall’s harvest festival, which drew more than 500 visitors. 

“We began to make real headway toward meaningful changes at West Marin and Inverness Schools,” Ms. Recher said. “I’m sorry to see her leave and I hope we can keep up the momentum, engaging with the community and improving our public schools.”