The Wake County school board moved one high school principal to Central Office Tuesday and transferred another principal to a different school.

John Williams, the principal of Middle Creek High School in Cary, was appointed senior director for high school education. The job became open after Ruth Steidinger switched to being senior director for middle school education.

Williams opened Middle Creek in 2001 and will leave the school on Nov. 1. Thomas Dixon will serve as interim principal at Middle Creek, Dixon, the former longtime principal of Apex High School, will receive a salary that's equivalent to $131,580 a year.

Teresa Pierrie was named the principal of the new Wake Leadership Academy for Girls, one of two recently approved single-gender schools that will open next year. She's been principal of the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences in Raleigh since 2008. Her salary will be $102,256 a year.

Edward Gainor's contract as interim principal of Brassfield Elementary School in Raleigh was extended into November. He's receiving a salary equivalent to $105,490 a year.

Gainor has held the job since Pamela Kinsey-Barker left Brassfield to become Area Superintendent for Northern Wake.