Dr. Mark Miller, superintendent for the Juneau School District, gives an overview of the district’s budget at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. Appearing with Miller are Brian Holst, school board president, left, Ted Wilson, Director of Teaching and Learning, center, and Bridget Weiss, Director of Student Services, right. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Dr. Mark Miller, superintendent for the Juneau School District, gives an overview of the district’s budget at the Juneau Chamber of Commerce’s weekly luncheon at the Moose Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018. Appearing with Miller are Brian Holst, school board president, left, Ted Wilson, Director of Teaching and Learning, center, and Bridget Weiss, Director of Student Services, right. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

School Board poised to pick interim superintendent Monday

Three internal candidates make up group of finalists

Less than two weeks after Juneau School District Superintendent Mark Miller’s resignation, the Board of Education is going to name his replacement.

The board will hold a special meeting this coming Monday, according to an announcement, to hire an interim superintendent. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Monday in room 206 at Juneau-Douglas High School. This interim superintendent will serve in that role through this coming school year, the board members decided at a special meeting July 27.

Three internal candidates were introduced to the public Thursday: Thunder Mountain High School Principal Dan Larson, Director of Student Services Bridget Weiss and Dzantik’i Heeni Principal Molly Yerkes. Jessica Richmond, an administrative assistant at the superintendent’s office, said those are still the three candidates for the position.

Miller’s last day is Aug. 15 and the school year starts Aug. 20, so the board members wanted to move quickly to select this interim superintendent. Selecting the person Monday will allow them two weeks to prepare before the school year starts, and will ease the transition between Miller and them. Richmond said the interim superintendent will start as soon as Miller leaves.

The original plan, as outlined at the July 27 meeting, was to begin interviews Aug. 6, but the process moved even faster than planned. Richmond said the interviews took place Thursday night.

After this school year, the board will go through a full job search, the board members agreed at their July 27 meeting. Miller is taking a job at Sonora High School District in Sonora, California, which is closer to his family and where he’s spent most of his life.


• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at 523-2271 or amccarthy@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @akmccarthy.


More in Home

Pauline Plumb and Penny Saddler carry vegetables grown by fellow gardeners during the 29th Annual Juneau Community Garden Harvest Fair on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Dunleavy says he plans to reestablish state Department of Agriculture via executive order

Demoted to division status after statehood, governor says revival will improve food production policies.

Alan Steffert, a project engineer for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains alternatives considered when assessing infrastructure improvements including utilities upgrades during a meeting to discuss a proposed fee increase Thursday night at Thunder Mountain Middle School. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Hike of more than 60% in water rates, 80% in sewer over next five years proposed by CBJ utilities

Increase needed due to rates not keeping up with inflation, officials say; Assembly will need to OK plan.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and President-elect Donald Trump (left) will be working as chief executives at opposite ends of the U.S. next year, a face constructed of rocks on Sandy Beach is seen among snow in November (center), and KINY’s prize patrol van (right) flashes its colors outside the station this summer. (Photos, from left to right, from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office, Elliot Welch via Juneau Parks and Recreation, and Mark Sabbatini via the Juneau Empire)
Juneau’s 10 strangest news stories of 2024

Governor’s captivating journey to nowhere, woman who won’t leave the beach among those making waves.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys basketball team pose in the bleachers at Durango High School in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)
JDHS boys earn win at Tarkanian Classic tournament

Crimson Bears find defensive “science” in crucial second half swing.

The U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Funding for the federal government will lapse at 8:01 p.m. Alaska time on Friday if no deal is reached. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)
A federal government shutdown may began tonight. Here’s what may happen.

TSA will still screen holiday travelers, military will work without paychecks; food stamps may lapse.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls basketball team pose at the Ceasar’s Palace fountain in Las Vegas during the Tarkanian Classic Tournament. (Photo courtesy JDHS Crimson Bears)
Crimson Bears girls win second in a row at Tarkanian Classic

JDHS continues to impress at prestigious Las Vegas tournament.

Bartlett Regional Hospital, along with Juneau’s police and fire departments, are partnering in a new behavioral health crisis response program announced Thursday. (Bartlett Regional Hospital photo)
New local behavioral health crisis program using hospital, fire and police officials debuts

Mobile crisis team of responders forms five months after hospital ends crisis stabilization program.

The cover image from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “Alaska Priorities For Federal Transition” report. (Office of the Governor)
Loch Ness ducks or ‘vampire grebes’? Alaska governor report for Trump comes with AI hallucinations

A ChatGPT-generated image of Alaska included some strange-looking waterfowl.

Rep. Alyse Galvin, an Anchorage independent, takes a photo with Meadow Stanley, a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé on April before they took part in a march protesting education funding from the school to the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Drops in Alaska’s student test scores and education funding follow similar paths past 20 years, study claims

Fourth graders now are a year behind their 2007 peers in reading and math, author of report asserts.

Most Read