John Perella, a longtime Revere educator, is the new headmaster at Medford High School, replacing Paul Krueger, who is retiring in July after 14 years.

Perella, 41, is an assistant principal at Garfield Middle School. He formerly was an assistant principal and teacher at Revere High School. He earned a doctorate degree in secondary education on June 1, from the University of Massachusetts Boston, with a concentration in urban education.

“I have always wanted to lead a high school,” Perella said in an interview Tuesday. “This is an amazing opportunity for me to do that. Medford is similar to Revere in many ways. It is a strong community, with a lot of family involvement in its schools.”

Superintendent Roy Belson announced Perella’s selection on Monday before a school committee budget meeting. Belson could not be reached for comment.

Perella began his academic career as a humanities teacher at Revere High School in 1997. He later was an assistant principal, before becoming an assistant principal at Garfield in 2010.

He hopes to build upon the 1,200-student school’s academic standards. Krueger “did an outstanding job of raising expectations for academics and high standards,” Perella said. “I’d like to continue what they’ve been doing well.”

Perella favors a broad approach to education, emphasizing academics, athletics, and the arts.

“Public education now is really more concerned with educating the whole child. I want to draw on that and bring the school community together,” he said.

He also hopes to collaborate with the high school’s vocational education division, which is run by its own director.

“I see vocational education as a vital part of the school community,” Perella said.

Perella now is negotiating a contract with Belson. He plans to start work in July, he said.