The Cottage Street School's new leadership team is a Seekonk elementary principal and a local autism school program coordinator.

Kevin Madden becomes Cottage principal Aug. 1, after serving the past four years at Seekonk's George R. Martin Elementary School, Sharon School Superintendent Timothy Farmer said Thursday.

Meanwhile, Andrew Zides became Cottage assistant principal and part-time special education team leader July 1, Farmer said. Zides has been program coordinator of the League School of Greater Boston, in Walpole.

Madden succeeds John Marcus, who served eight years at Cottage's helm before becoming Sharon's director of technology July 1.

Zides succeeds Jackie Mann, who served as Cottage's part-time assistant principal and Sharon Middle School's assistant to the principal last year. Mann became the middle school's full-time assistant principal July 1.

Farmer said a committee of four parents, four staff members and himself interviewed the principal candidates.

Madden's appeal included his being a principal and his "strong background in curriculum and instruction," Farmer said.

"We were very happy at this late in the season to find a principal of that caliber," he said.

Also, Madden has a strong technology background, including chairing the Seekonk schools' technology review committee, Farmer said.

And Seekonk does the Response to Intervention program, but for longer than Sharon, Farmer said.

"He'll help us to maneuver the waters of Response to Intervention," he said.

Zides, meanwhile, will three days each week focused on assistant principal duties, and two days as Cottage's special education elementary team leader. That's a change -- at both the Cottage and East Elementary Schools -- from this past year.

Since both Madden and Zides are new, newly retired East Principal Judith Freedberg will mentor them.

Farmer said Freedberg will meet with them once or twice per month, "anticipating what's coming up. 'What does November look like in Sharon?'" he said.

Professional development money will fund Freedberg's services, he said. Sharon also saved money because Madden won't start until Aug. 1, he said.