CRSD Begins Search to Hire New Superintendent
Photo courtesy of Pexels - Churchart
Allison Sayer - CRR Staff
On August 3, the Copper River School District (CRSD) school board met to begin the search process for a new superintendent. Thérèse Ashton is no longer the district superintendent; the position is currently vacant. Theresa Laville, who most recently worked in the Bering Strait School District, is the new assistant superintendent for the district.
The board discussed giving Laville additional powers until an interim superintendent is found in order to help the district function more smoothly. I reached out to both Ashton and School Board President Joshua Scott for more information on Ashton’s departure, and, as of August 15 have not received a response.
The board agreed that it would be practical to search for both an interim and a permanent superintendent. The justification for this was that while it is somewhat urgent to fill the superintendent position, hiring an interim superintendent would give the district more time to find the right person for a long-term position. There is also the possibility that a retired superintendent or someone in a similar position would be willing to take on the interim post, but not be interested in a long-term position.
A third party will be used to assist with recruiting and the initial vetting process for superintendent candidates. The board expressed a willingness to hire someone from either within or outside of Alaska. They also did not want to limit the initial search to education professionals, but to open it to people with executive experience in other fields as well. The school board expressed a commitment to incorporate specific opportunities for public and school staff feedback within the hiring process.
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