The school district has begun advertising for a new principal at Evergreen Elementary School, after its board accepted the resignation of current principal Deidre Jenson on Monday.
Once the school year ends, Jenson said she will be heading north this summer with her husband, Joel.
“We’re heading to Deering, Alaska,” she explained. There, Jenson will be a principal
and special education instructor for the Northwest Arctic School District. Two of the Jensons’ children have already graduated, while arrangements are being made for a third to remain and finish up.
After receiving her administrative degree at the University of Alaska Southeast, Jensen took on the Wrangell position in January 2014, coming from the Prince of Wales School District where she was a teacher.
During her time here, she feels she has seen positive progress among Evergreen’s students. In particular, behaviors have improved as a climate of cooperation was fostered through different means. For example, assembly sessions for them held every Friday helped focus students and set affirmative goals for the week.
“Teaching kids what you want to accomplish,” Jensen explained. “I think that has had a huge impact overall.”
The change was noticeable among staff and faculty too, she said, resulting in a more collegial climate.
“There’s been some really good things, and some really challenging things,” Jensen said of her time here. “And challenging isn’t always bad.”
She admitted the move had not been her first choice, and that she had hoped to stay on in Wrangell. A renewed contract had not been put forward by the district, though after the April 24 meeting School Board president Georgianna Buhler explained she was not at liberty to discuss the decision, citing policy on discussing personnel matters.
Several members of the public had voiced concern over Jensen’s departure, both at last month’s meeting and during Monday’s. In addition to the loss of a well-liked administrator, concerns were expressed about faculty turnover and enrollment trends, according to several people attending that meeting.
Looking forward, Jensen said she will miss the district, and in particular her students.
“That’s the hardest part, the kids, when I think about leaving,” she said Monday. For the future, Jensen said she intends to take additional university courses in order to get her superintendent endorsement, possibly later this year.
In its job announcement, the school district intends for a new principal to commence duties by July 1.
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