The Lower Kuskokwim School District Board of Education is pleased to announce that they have selected three individuals as finalists in the search for a new superintendent, as of January 22nd, 2024.
The Board decided to conduct a nationwide search and contracted with the Association of Alaska School Boards to facilitate the process. The Board reviewed and compared applicants and has chosen the following candidates as finalists:
•Andrew Anderson
Mr. Anderson served as the Superintendent of the Lower Yukon School District from 2018–2020, and the Assistant Superintendent and Director of Human Resources prior to that. He has served as Principal or Vice-Principal for three village schools in the Bering Strait School District and one year as the Principal of Nome Beltz Jr/Sr High School. Mr. Anderson was the superintendent of schools in Livingston, Montana for eight years (2003-2011) before returning to Alaska. He holds a M. Ed. in Secondary School Administration and a B.A, History from Harvard University.
•Joshua Gill
Mr. Gill is the Principal of Ayaprun Elitnaurvik in Bethel, a position he has held since 2021. Before his current position, Mr. Gill served the district as Principal of Gladys Jung Elementary (2019-21), Director of Personnel (2015-19), Principal of Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat (2008-15), Principal of Nuniwarmiut School (2007-2008), and a Teacher at Lewis Angapak Memorial School (2003-07). Mr. Gill holds a M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of Alaska, and a B.U.S., Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
•Edward Pekar
Mr. Pekar is the Assistant Superintendent for Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD), a position he has held since 2020. Mr. Pekar has worked for LKSD for twenty years, having previously served as Director of Operations (2018-20), Site Administrator for Bethel High School (2015-18) and Anna Tobeluk Memorial School (2012-15), and as an Elementary Teacher at Kilbuck/Gladys Jung Elementary Schools (2004-12). He holds a M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of Alaska, and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Waynesburg College.
The finalists will all be in Bethel for community engagement activities on Monday, February 12, and interviews with the LKSD Board of Education on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
The Board intends to announce its choice of a new superintendent following their deliberations on February 13. The new superintendent will begin July 1, 2024.
