The Haines School principal hiring committee last week recommended longtime teacher Lilly Boron for the job.
Boron, who has taught at the school for 21 years, said she’s looking forward to the new challenge. She began an educational leadership program at UAA in 2017 that was interrupted by a cancer diagnosis. After a year of treatment, she picked the program back up and is set to finish this spring.
“I love what I do. I love teaching,” Boron said. “I love working with students. I was excited about the prospect of getting into educational leadership. It’s the right time to do something new. I feel like I’m really prepared.”
Boron began her career in the school district as a network administrator and computer teacher. Six years later she began teaching social studies and later Spanish and culinary arts.
“At every step I’ve been challenged to my capacity, but I’ve also really, really enjoyed it,” Boron said. “That’s what I think is going to happen as the year rolls around.”
Superintendent Roy Getchell said the hiring committee made the decision after interviews with four candidates, including the district’s dean of students Kim Sundberg.
Other finalists included Wrangell’s career and technical education director Drew Larrabee and Aleknagik principal and teacher Miranda Macha.
“I’m excited for Lilly to join our very strong dean of students,” Getchell said. “I think those two are going to be a dynamite administrative duo. I look forward to watching them work together, grow together and move us forward.”
The district held surveys and focus groups to determine what students, staff and residents wanted in a principal. Getchell said all three groups identified communication, student morale, staff morale and academic performance as priorities.
“Those were identified for us as the most important right now,” Getchell said.
The hiring committee consisted of Getchell, school board members Anne Marie Palmieri and Shelly Sloper, teachers Mark Fontenot and Fran Daly, classified staff members Denise Sherman and Margaret McLaughlin, parents Melissa Ganey and Lynette Hart and student representative Lydia Andriesen.
The school board will vote on the hiring recommendation at its April 7 meeting. Outgoing principal Rene Martin submitted her letter of resignation last month effective June 8.