The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is working on a tough assignment: finding a new superintendent. It's an enormous task, made more difficult because the current superintendent, Dr. Donna Peterson, has done such a sterling job in the position.
As the school board begins its search for a replacement, we hope they will consider some of the factors that made Dr. Peterson such a good fit for the post.
For one, she came up through the ranks of the district. She joined the district in 1990 as a parent volunteer and teacher. She served as principal of North Star Elementary School in Nikiski from 1993-1997, before being named the district's curriculum director, a post she held until being named superintendent in 1999. Those experiences gave her first-hand knowledge of the district. She might not have known everything she was getting into when she took the superintendent's job, but she was no stranger to the district's strengths, weaknesses and needs.
For another, she's remained an integral part of the community throughout her tenure as superintendent. Some might see the superintendent's job as an ivory-tower calling -- a little removed from the real world and maybe a little above participating in it. Not Dr. Peterson. She participated in school and community events all over the district -- everything from sporting events to spaghetti feeds to community causes like United Way and the Arctic Winter Games. Her community involvement instilled a certain amount of trust. People knew her and knew they could approach her. They may not have always appreciated or agreed with her decisions, but they could be sure of this: Her decisions were based on what was in the best interest of all the students in the district.
Dr. Peterson's longevity in the superintendent's job -- she's held the job longer than anyone else -- is a reflection of her commitment to the community. Her appointment to the district's top job came on the heels of a succession of four superintendents in the prior decade. But for Dr. Peterson, the job wasn't a steppingstone on the way to what some may have perceived as a bigger and better opportunity. It was the opportunity.
For Dr. Peterson, the top job didn't mean she quit doing what she loved: teaching and learning. She still makes it a point to visit classrooms -- and teach. And she's never believed she knew it all. She's continuously working on her own professional development, and in doing so she has enhanced not only her reputation, but also the reputation of the entire district. And she's always looking for ways to make the district even better.
The list of Dr. Peterson's accomplishments -- and the district's -- could fill the pages of this newspaper. Suffice it to say, she'll be missed. We wish her well in her new adventures, and we wish the school board the best of luck as they seek her replacement. The board is seeking community involvement in the important job of finding a new superintendent. To contribute your ideas, go to the district's Web site at www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us
And, again, many thanks, Dr. Peterson, for your work at the district.