The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee voted unanimously Thursday to pay Sean Mulvey $185,000 to serve as principal for the next year, giving the district more time to search for a long-term successor to departing principal Sara Dingledy.

Mr. Mulvey, a guidance counselor at the high school and a former vice principal at the West Tisbury and Tisbury schools, declined to accept a longer contract for the high-profile position.

“The reason I’m in this position, that I put my hat in the ring, was initially so we could buy time to help with the search,” he told the school committee.

“There is a chance that I might grow into this role and I might enjoy it. And at that time … I don’t mind being a candidate for the position,” Mr. Mulvey said.

Island superintendent of schools Richard Smith said he considers Mr. Mulvey to be more than a placeholder in the principal’s office.

“I’m not going to write on his contract, ‘interim principal,’” Mr. Smith said.

“He’s the principal. I want the community to see him as such, and certainly I do, and I know you all do,” he told the committee.

Mr. Mulvey starts his new job Monday with guidance from Ms. Dingledy, who will work with him through the summer, Mr. Smith said. The former principal is starting a new job in the superintendent’s office, working with town schools to align the middle-school curriculum across the Island.

If, by November, things at the high school have gone well, Mr. Smith said he hopes Mr. Mulvey will be receptive to a longer-term contract.

If not, Mr. Smith said, there will still be time to conduct an outside search for the next high school principal.

“I would … like to reserve the option that Sean flourishes in the role,” he said.

“Him flourishing in the role means the school flourishes, itself,” Mr. Smith said.