School board selects new superintendent

The Petersburg School Board unanimously selected Dr. Lisa Stroh to be the new Petersburg School District (PSD) Superintendent.

Stroh, who is the current superintendent of Valdez City Schools, officially begins July 1, 2014.

"When I look at the (Petersburg) district, things are going very, very well," Stroh said. "What I need to do is get familiar with the programs, listen to people, talk with them and find out from them what's going well, what things we need to tweak, and how can I help them and support them in keeping those programs going."

Petersburg School Board President Jean Ellis said the decision was tough but that ultimately, Stroh was the best fit.

"It's always a matter of a fit for the particular position at a particular time," Ellis said.

"I feel like she did a lot of homework, she understood Petersburg really well and is really positive about all the wonderful things we have going on here."

Ellis and board member Sarah Holmgrain said they value Stroh's knowledge of curriculum development.

Stroh's doctorate is in Public School Administration with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction.

Holmgrain said with new state standards and potential changes regarding teacher evaluations, Stroh's local knowledge will be beneficial.

"In addition to the Alaska experience, knowing who the people are in Juneau and her background in curriculum will help us with that," Holmgrain said.

"I really believe in differentiated instruction-your academically high performing kids, you let them soar," Stroh said. "You also have the middle of the road kids and the struggling learners. We need to develop and teach all levels of students. A school has to be individualized, not one size fits all. I'm very interested in making sure the curriculum for the students is the very best it can be."

Stroh and current PSD Superintendent Dr. Rob Thomason will develop a transition plan during the coming months.

Stroh and her husband Robin Stroh have a daughter, Rebecca, who will attend 6th grade at Mitkof Middle School next year.

Stroh signed a three year contract with a starting salary of $122,720