Nome Public Schools (NPS) has narrowed down its superintendent search to four finalists.
The NPS Board of Education selected them from an original pool of 11 candidates. According to an NPS press release, all four currently work for public school districts in Alaska.
Jamie Burgess has been the director of federal programs, instruction and accountability for NPS since 2016. She has past school administration experience in Arizona.
Deborah Lancaster is the certified program administrator for the North Slope School District. She also has past teaching and school administration experience in that district.
Patrick Mayer has been the superintendent for Wrangell City School District since 2014. He has past school administration experience in the Fairbanks area.
And William “Bill” Schildbach is the principal of Mt. Spurr Elementary School in the Anchorage School District. He has past school administration experience in Kotzebue and Emmonak.
The plan was originally to choose two or three finalists. But current NPS Superintendent Shawn Arnold says there were more good choices from the applicant pool:
“There were just four candidates that really stood out. They had very good, equal strengths, and may possibly be a good fit for Nome, the district and the community.”
The four finalists will be in Nome next week to tour the community, visit the schools and interview with the school board.
A community forum with the finalists will be held next Wednesday evening, April 18. Arnold’s replacement as superintendent is expected to start on or before July 1.
Image at top: The Nome Elementary School (Photo: Jenn Ruckel, KNOM).
