The school's former principal, Michael Hall, has tendered his resignation, effective Dec. 31, for health reasons, he said. Students and colleagues said they will be sad to see him go.

"He's really cool," said Camila Silva, a freshman. "He's firm but he has a loose leash. He never lowers his bar for us and, even though sometimes we let him down, he'll always say we're good kids."

Hall played an integral role in the formation of the school, which opened its doors to about 60 ninth graders last year and added another grade level this year. The students earned a score of 879 on state exams last year, far surpassing the statewide performance target of 800 and every other school in the Gilroy Unified School District. Geared toward highly motivated students, the academy graduates 18-year-olds with enough college credits to shave two years off their post-secondary education.

"It was an extremely difficult decision to leave," Hall said. "I wish I could be there but physically, I just can't do it. My health has to come first."

A resident of Stockton, Hall's round-trip commute totaled five hours most days and took its toll after two and a half years. With rising blood pressure and stress, Hall thought it best to spend the last few years before his retirement closer to home. Although he does not have another job lined up, he is being considered for a position as principal at a new early college academy in Stockton.

"The program means a great, great deal to me," he said. "I will miss those kids and my faculty."

"We're very sorry to see him go," Superintendent Deborah Flores said. "He was a major force in the development of an early college academy in Gilroy and we will be eternally grateful to him."

But Flores was confident that of the five who applied to fill Hall's shoes, Boylan was the best candidate for the job. Eager to begin her new job, Boylan comes to the early college academy with 15 years of experience as a principal under her belt.

"I'm absolutely thrilled," she said. "When I first heard about this program, I was really drawn to it."

Boylan said she's excited to head a small school geared toward highly motivated, college-bound students. As a former principal of a small comprehensive high school and a continuation school, Boylan enjoyed getting to know each of her students, no easy task as an administrator at a 2,500 student school.

"I like being able to build relationships with the students," she said. "I want to know everybody."

Although the role of principal was offered to Boylan as an interim position, she plans to apply for the permanent position come spring, she said.

"If everything goes well, I can walk away knowing I'll be back in the fall," she said. "My goal is to be there a minimum of three to five years."

Her former post as assistant principal at GHS will be advertised on EdJoin.org until the end of Friday, GHS Principal James Maxwell said.