PORTLAND — Reiche Community School will be led by a team of teachers rather than a principal starting in the fall.

It will be the first public school in the city and one of few in Maine to adopt a team-leadership model, according to a news release.

The school board approved the leadership change on Tuesday, after Reiche staff members, parents and district officials spent several months studying teacher-led schools in Colorado, Minnesota, Massachusetts and other states.

“Reiche has the right combination to make this leadership model successful,” said Superintendent Jim Morse. “(It has) skilled teachers who work well together and involved parents who act as full partners in their children’s education.”

The school will be led by a team consisting of two lead teachers, a parent, a district representative and the chairpersons of four teacher committees.

The committees will oversee professional development, instructional leadership, external communications and enrichment, and internal communications and climate. Each Reiche teacher will be required to serve on one of the committees.

The two lead teachers will work half-time in a classroom. One of them will be on duty at all times to cover the main office, attend to parents’ concerns, participate in district meetings and handle other administrative tasks.

Morse said the district will monitor the results of the leadership change and report back to the school board multiple times throughout the 2011-12 academic year.

The cost of implementing the new leadership model will be covered by money in the budget for a principal’s salary and benefits at Reiche.

The school currently has an interim principal.