Martha's Vineyard Regional High School principal Margaret (Peg) Regan quietly announced late last week that she will resign at the end of the school year.

Mrs. Regan submitted a letter of resignation to Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss on Friday.

Six Island educators are among the nine finalists now vying for the interim principal jobs in both the West Tisbury and Chilmark schools.

The high-speed search for school leaders comes less than a month after two principals in the Up-Island district - Elaine Pace and Carlos Colley - handed in their resignations after each serving three years on the job.

Just six weeks before the start of a new school year, principals at both the West Tisbury School and Chilmark School have announced they are quitting their jobs.

Letters of resignation from Elaine Pace and Carlos Colley forced the Up Island Regional school committee into an unscheduled meeting Friday to deal with the doubleheader of departures.

"It's fair to say this was unexpected," said Kathy Logue, chairman of the regional school board.