Category: School Leadership

‘How Shared Leadership is Raising the Bar for Alaska Schools’ by Superintendent Robyn Taylor

ouralaskanschools on

In Petersburg School District, we’re seeing how empowering teacher leaders, working in partnership with school leaders, makes a lasting difference. Through our partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), we’re building a culture where teachers lead learning, support one another, and grow together. This shared leadership structure has improved collaboration, strengthened instruction, and is helping us retain great teachers — all of which are essential in a small, rural district like ours. Continue reading ‘How Shared Leadership is Raising the Bar for Alaska Schools’ by Superintendent Robyn Taylor

‘Chevak’s Long-Term Investment in Growing Staff from the Community’ by Superintendent Jeanne Campbell

ouralaskanschools on

 

“My hope is that their accomplishments will inspire the youth to follow them into education careers.”

In July of 2006 I disembarked from a seven-seat airplane with my dog onto a short runway which is now called the old airport in Chevak, Alaska. People hustled about, laughing, chatting, picking up and dropping off items and people. Being from Pennsylvania, I was enthralled by the whole experience and left speechless until approached by a woman who introduced herself as Lillian Olson. “Are you a new teacher?” she asked. “Let me direct you.” Like the old airport moved to the other side of the village as a new airport, Lillian Olson has moved from Executive Secretary (24 years) to teacher (9 years) to Chevak School’s first Cup’ik Principal in FY25. Continue reading ‘Chevak’s Long-Term Investment in Growing Staff from the Community’ by Superintendent Jeanne Campbell

‘New Book Focuses On the Importance of Leadership in Rural Alaska Schools’ By Chris Wilkens

ouralaskanschools on

[Wilkens, C., Littlebear, J., & Thompson, R. (2025) Rural School Leadership: Lessons from Alaska. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.]
On January 17th, Rowman & Littlefield will publish Rural School Leadership: Lessons from Alaska, a book written by and for school leaders in rural Alaska. Continue reading ‘New Book Focuses On the Importance of Leadership in Rural Alaska Schools’ By Chris Wilkens