When Dan Beck, principal of Homer Middle School, and his wife, Tracie, first came to Alaska, they were on a two-year plan. Then, two stretched to 11. Now, the Becks are finally preparing to return to the Lower 48.
Photo by McKibben Jackinsky
Photo by McKibben Jackinsky; Homer News
Homer Middle School Principal Dan Beck, center, encourages students participating in the school's recent talent show. From left: Mariah Stuart, Dan Adickes, Amelia Tyrer, Beck, D. J. Marsengill and Burl Tonga.
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"We feel like it's time to take our young family and move closer to the grandparents so that our kids have the opportunity to know and love their grandparents in a similar way that we had when we were growing up," said Beck of plans to relocate to the North Dakota-Montana area.
Beck's announcement makes him the third administrator to announce his departure from Homer-area schools at the end of this school year. Homer High School Principal Ron Keffer and Voznesenka School Principal Ray Hillman recently announced their retirements.
"He's just been a very, very good administrator," Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Donna Peterson said of Beck. "He's a quiet, strong leader that we will miss."
The Becks originally came to Alaska to teach in Emmonak, a village near the mouth of the Yukon River.
"I enjoyed much of the similar outdoor and cultural stuff that (the villagers) did. They really accepted both (Tracie and me) into the community. We have some good friends we still talk to from Emmonak," Beck said.
The couple's first child, Abigail, was born in Emmonak. Last year, Tracie Beck was invited to speak at high school graduation ceremonies honoring the first class she taught in the village.
Three years after moving to Emmonak and eager to be somewhere less remote, the family moved to Seldovia after Beck accepted a position at Susan B. English School. They remained there for four years, during which their son, Hunter, was born.
"We feel like we've had a lot of unique experiences that not everyone gets to experience," Beck said, citing the winter he and his family served as caretakers for Seldovia Island Resort. "I commuted to work by crossing Seldovia harbor in a skiff every morning. ... Not many principals can say they caught a king salmon on the way to work."
In 2004, Beck was selected as the assistant principal for Homer High School and in 2006 he became principal of Homer Middle School.
"I feel this is probably one of the best jobs in the district," he said of his current assignment. "In my opinion, it's a nice sized school to work with. It's the size where you have enough kids that there are activities going on, but not that big that you don't know who the kids are. Sometimes as a principal, it's harder to make personal connections with kids unless they're always in your office. Here you get an opportunity to know who the kids are. ... And there's a great staff here that cares deeply about kids."
Since living in Homer, the Beck family has grown by two son Bridger is three years old and daughter Emma is two months old.
"My parents have not had the opportunity to meet Emma yet," Beck said. "They haven't been up and we haven't been back. They don't even know their granddaughter."
That desire for increased family closeness was recently expressed by Bridger.
"He didn't want to just visit Grandpa Beck, he wanted to move his bunk bed," Beck said. "Those are the kinds of things that made us decide where to raise our family for the majority of their lives."
Having announced his intent to leave the district, Beck has begun looking for a new assignment and has submitted applications for two principal positions.
"I went to graduate school at the University of Montana so I know folks down there," he said. "Hopefully that will help me a little bit."
Peterson met with the HMS site council Wednesday to discuss a timeline for finding a new principal. The position has been posted, applications can be received and interviews conducted, but no hiring can take place until the school board formally accepts Beck's resignation when it meets April 14.
"We're moving very, very quickly," Peterson said of selecting a principal for the 2008-2009 school year.
Thinking back over his years at HMS, Beck found it difficult to narrow down the most memorable experiences.
"Just knowing I was responsible for what happened here for two years stands out to me," he said. "There are so many different things that were enjoyable. Watching the kids do activities. Getting to know the staff. What will stand out is how great of a place this is that cares about kids, teaching kids right from wrong and teaching academics."
Asked what advice he has for his replacement, Beck said, "Take care of my school is what I want to tell someone. I should say 'our' school, but after investing a lot of time, I feel it's so important that they get someone who can really do a good job here. Everyone deserves that the students, the staff, the community."
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
