CLAYTON — Thousand Islands Central and Central Square school districts have swapped superintendents.

The Thousand Islands school board picked Frank C. House, who had been filling in as interim superintendent at Central Square, as a temporary replacement for Joseph A. Menard — Central Square’s new superintendent as of Monday.

Until Mr. Menard’s permanent successor is named, Mr. House will look after Thousand Islands’ staff, teachers and roughly 1,100 students.

Mr. House, who has been in public education for more than 40 years, said Tuesday that the Thousand Islands school board could choose a new superintendent as soon as September but that he has agreed to stay longer if needed.

Mr. House had retired in 2009 after nine years at South Lewis Central School District as its superintendent to move back to his family’s dairy farm near Central Square.

He came out of retirement in January to give his hometown school district’s board more time to find its next leader.

Mr. Menard has led Thousand Islands for three years — since his appointment in May 2009 — through some tough economic times.

He began his career as a superintendent at Thousand Islands just as the state started slashing school aid.

The district also had conducted during his tenure a controversial six-month study on whether it should continue to operate Cape Vincent Elementary.

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