Wrangell Superintendent Debbe Lancaster (left) and Evergreen Elementary Principal Virginia Tulley (right). Tulley turned in her letter of resignation after one year as principal in Wrangell, citing missing her family and unspecified medical issues as her reasons.
Virginia Tulley moved to Wrangell in late July of 2018, ready to take on her new position as principal of Evergreen Elementary School. Coming from Arizona, Tulley has worked in a variety of teaching positions before the move to Alaska. Coming here was a bit of an adventure for her.
“I always wanted to live in Alaska,” Tulley said to the Sentinel, back in July. “I don’t know my specific reason other than I wanted to explore.”
After one school year as principal, however, Tulley decided to put in her resignation. Her resignation letter was accepted by the Wrangell School Board in their meeting on April 15. Tulley said that she will finish up her contract through the end of the school year, but afterwards plans to move back to Arizona. It is a decision she has been pondering since February, she said. There were some unspecified medical reasons, she said, but the main reason she decided to leave was because she missed her family. One of her children is graduating from college this week, she said, and other family events she has missed out on have made her want to return to Arizona.
“My kids are wanting me to come home, I’m up here by myself,” she said. “Even though I’ve made friends here, some great friends, I miss my family. My grandkids are growing and I feel like I’m not part of their lives anymore.”
As much as she misses her family, Tulley said she is still sad to leave. The hospitality she has received from Wrangell has been incredible, she said. Working alongside Superintendent Debbe Lancaster and Secondary School Principal David Macri was a good experience, too. The three of them made a good team, she said.
Lancaster said that it was with a heavy heart she was letting Tulley go. She was a great fit for the principal role at the elementary school, she said, and also a good friend. Lancaster said she plans to visit Tulley in Arizona later on in the summer, and Tulley added that she definitely plans to come back and visit Wrangell someday.
“I just want to say how much I have, from the time I came off the ferry, I have been welcomed by the community,” Tulley said. “I really feel like I’ve established some close friendships and I am going to miss this beautiful place, I will miss it.”
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