Superintendent Search Services

The Association of Alaska School Boards Superintendent Search Service offers maximum flexibility to Alaska School Boards and assures the Board has total control of the selection and appointment process. The search team performs the legwork associated with the search, allowing the Board to concentrate on the most critical steps in the search: setting the criteria, interviewing the most qualified candidates, and selecting the next superintendent.

Search facilitation fees are based on the level of assistance that the Board may require regarding the search. This can range from a packet of information to help you conduct your own search to various levels of involvement and facilitation, including a fully supported search. Fees are also based on your ADM. Our facilitated searches now include exclusive and required online document management for all application materials.

For more information about working with AASB to manage your superintendent search, please contact:

Email Katie Oliver, Policy and Superintendent Search Manager, or call (907) 463-1660.

Get Email Updates

Want to be notified of future superintendent openings? If you are a Superintendent applicant and would like to receive emails about position vacancies in Alaska, sign up for our Superintendent Vacancies Email list by clicking on the button below.

AASB Facilitated Superintendent Search Openings

The following school districts in Alaska have contracted with AASB to facilitate the search for their next superintendent:

The Association of Alaska School Boards uses an online application system. Interested candidates should complete and submit an online application found at aasb.myrevelus.com. No “hard copy,” faxed, or emailed submissions will be accepted.

Candidates who do not possess an Alaska Type B Certificate with a superintendent endorsement should begin the process with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (AK DEED 907-465-2800).


Superintendent – Bering Strait School District

Unalakleet, Alaska

The Bering Strait School District Board of Education is conducting a search for a Superintendent. The board is especially interested in applicants with outstanding school district leadership and communication skills. Candidates should also have had successful experiences in and be committed to being culturally responsive, especially with Alaska-Native or other indigenous cultures. The new Superintendent is expected to begin July 1, 2024.

Bering Strait Superintendent Brochure

Application Deadline:

March 25, 2024, 5:00 pm AK


Superintendent – Saint Mary’s School District

Saint Mary’s, Alaska

The five-member Board of Education of the Saint Mary’s City School District is conducting a search for its next Superintendent. The board is looking for a dynamic instructional leader with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, strong fiscal management skills, and an understanding of culturally responsive and culturally affirming education practices. The new Superintendent is expected to begin work on July 1, 2024.

Saint Mary’s Superintendent Brochure

Application Deadline:

March 27, 2024, 5:00 pm AK


Other Alaska Superintendent and Administrative Openings

As a courtesy to our member districts, we will post your other central or district office openings for no charge.  Please contact us at aasb@nullaasb.org or (907) 463-1660.

AASB also provides access to our partner state associations that may have superintendent positions open.  


No current positions

Superintendent Search Process

Each Board of Education has different needs and approaches to conducting its business. The Association of Alaska School Boards Superintendent Search Service understands this and will work to ensure that the superintendent search is directed by the Board and is tailored to its needs and desires.

The entire search process emphasizes that the search will be objective, fair, and confidential and will reflect the criteria determined by the full board, and not that of the search consultant.

AASB has a proven search process and extensive sources for advertising vacancies. This includes nation-wide exposure through the National Affiliation of Superintendent Searchers (NASS), the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and other colleagues and opportunities.

For more information, email Lon Garrison or Timi Tullis or call (907) 463-1660.

The superintendent search process includes these steps:
1. Outline the Process

AASB will assist the Board in developing a tailored approach to the search that will cover all necessary components including:

  • Selection criteria
  • Finalist Screening
  • Vacancy notice distribution
  • Interview structure and facilitation
  • Application packaging
  • Contract terms•Candidate recruitment
  • New superintendent news release
  • Candidate background verification
2. Identify Selection Criteria

The AASB consultant will assist the Board in developing the criteria for selecting the new superintendent by determining whether:

  • the search will be nationwide or limited to Alaska
  • Alaska experience or special strengths are required
  • in-district candidates are given preference
  • issues within the district require special consideration
3. The Recruitment Process

Once the selection criteria have been identified, AASB will work with the board to develop a vacancy announcement that will describe the position, school district and community, and professional background and attribute criteria desired. This information will be published as an electronic brochure on the AASB website and shared widely.

4. Applicant Files

AASB now uses an entirely online application and candidate review program developed and supported by our colleagues at the Ohio School Boards Association. Interested candidates can apply by going to aasb.myrevelus.org.

5. Candidate Background Verification

AASB requires all applicants to go through a background check that consists of a national criminal background check, a sex offender list review and a SSN trace for each applicant. An education, employer and professional license verification is also conducted. Through AASBs extensive professional network, confidential reference verification of all candidates is completed. AASB solicits valuable information from other state associations and school boards that can then help Alaska boards gain insights into each candidate.

6. Screening to Identify Finalists

During the formal applicant screening process the search consultant will meet with the board; provide a brief overview for each applicant including any background information secured. In addition, the search consultant will facilitate the board’s screening of applicant file according to the established criteria. This process could include brief audio conferences with individual candidates as necessary.

The board, at its discretion, will determine the best-qualified candidates for further consideration. AASB will notify all applicants not selected as finalists.

7. Selection of Finalists & Logistics

Following review of applicant files, background verification and executive session consensus; the board will select the finalists they wish to interview. During this time, the board will also develop a schedule for the finalist’s on-site visit and formal interview. Common questions to be asked candidates during the formal interview will also be developed at this time.

AASB will accept responsibility for contacting finalists, preparing a press release announcing the finalists and the process for the on-site visit by the candidates, and make all finalist travel arrangements for formal interview.

8. The Interview Process

The AASB search consultant will be on-site during the interview and selection process. AASB will assume responsibility for providing the board with the tools necessary to successfully interview the candidates and present the candidates to the staff and community. The search consultant is available to facilitate the processes necessary to present the district and community to the candidates as well as afford the opportunity for staff and community to “experience” the finalists.

Once a candidate is selected and accepts, the search consultant will facilitate the contract parameters to be signed by the candidate and board. These parameters will form the basis for a formal contract to be developed by the district’s legal counsel. The search consultant will also assist the Board with preparing a press release of the superintendent appointment.

9. Timelines

An adequate timeline is critical to the success of the search. The suggested timeline shown below is offered as a guideline should time and circumstances allow.

ActivityTime
Meet with the board to develop criteriaWeek 1
Design and post an electronic brochureWeek 1
Soliciting candidate interestWeek 2-10
Conduct background investigationsWeek 11
Notify finalists and arrange interviewsWeek 13
Conduct interviews, final section, contractWeek 14
Follow-up workshopTBD — Fall
10. Follow-up Workshop

Following the appointment and arrival of the new superintendent, the AASB consultant will conduct a workshop in the district to help the board and superintendent “check-base” on the evolving relationship, clarify responsibilities and develop any necessary understandings to ensure a long-term partnership. This workshop helps the new board-superintendent team establish effective communication and mutual understanding.

Candidate Application Process

To apply for any of the AASB-facilitated searches you will need to go to our online application system at aasb.myrevelus.com and complete a candidate profile. Once you have done that you may then access the specific Alaska district vacancies and any other out-of-state vacancies using the REVELUS system. 

Please download the directions to create your Revelus account (Guide to Creating a Revelus Profile). AASB will no longer accept application materials emailed or mailed to our office in our search process. Candidates can only apply through aasb.myrevelus.com.  Every applicant applying for a superintendent position through AASB will be required to complete a background check. The background check will include a national criminal background check, a sex offender list check, and an SSN trace for each applicant. An education, employer, and professional license verification are also conducted.

Candidates who do not possess an Alaska Type B Certificate with a superintendent endorsement should begin the process with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (AK DEED 907-465-2800).

Get Email Updates

Want to be notified of future vacancies? If you are a Superintendent applicant and would like to receive emails about position vacancies in Alaska, sign up for our Superintendent Vacancies Email list by clicking on the button below.

Superintendent Openings Email

More Info

Email Katie Oliver, Superintendent Search Manager.

Superintendent Search FAQ
Who conducts superintendent searches?

Each search is facilitated by a member of the Association staff. Norm Wooten and Timi Tullis are the primary search consultants.

How will AASB know what the board and district need in a superintendent?

The AASB search consultant will meet with the board to identify the district priorities and specific selection criteria. The Board will use this information throughout the search to identify the most suitable candidates for the position.

How can the board include the community in identifying needs and priorities?

Districts have utilized a variety of approaches to involve community and staff in the search process. These approaches include using the district’s website for an interested individual to provide input into the qualifications and personal attributes for the new superintendent; having parent organizations and staff respond to a formal questionnaire regarding what is desired in a new superintendent; identifying a committee representing a cross-section of interested parties to meet with the search consultant; and a host of other less formal approaches.

Can the community be involved in the selection of candidates?

Most boards have finalists meet with the community in an open forum when the finalists are on-site. These sessions, moderated by the AASB search consultant, are structured to invite questions from the audience. In districts where multiple communities are involved, video conferencing has been utilized effectively to involve all interested constituents.

Who will review the candidate applications?

The Association has a formal application that all candidates must complete to be considered for the position. In most cases, the completed application is accompanied by the candidate’s professional portfolio and a minimum of three confidential references provided on AASB forms. Each candidate’s complete application file will be reviewed by the Board of Education when determining candidates to be interviewed.

How many candidates does the board interview?

Most Boards select three or four candidates to interview in the district. Travel and accommodations are almost always paid by the district.

What questions should the board ask of candidates?

The AASB consultant will guide the interviews and assist the board in the development of questions that pertain to the selection criteria.

How long will the search take?

A thorough search can take as long as three months from the initial workshop that identifies board priorities and candidate criteria through the selection of the new superintendent. Searches that occur in the late spring are usually expedited to better ensure a candidate pool and provide sufficient time for the successful candidate to assume responsibility as the new superintendent by July 1.

How does the Association’s Superintendent Search Service differ from other consultants?

AASB staff does not select superintendents or superintendent finalists. That is the sole responsibility of the board. AASB helps ensure the search results in the best candidate for the district, not the best district for a particular candidate. AASB is committed to relieving the burdensome “tasks” associated with a search, so that board members can focus their energy on determining the best candidate to move the district forward for students.

How often will the search consultant be in the district?

For most searches, the search consultant will be in the district on four occasions:

  1. An initial meeting to familiarize the board with the search process, establish timelines and other search parameters and identify selection criteria.
  2. A second meeting to determine the candidates to be interviewed. This session also allows the board to prepare for the on-site candidate visit and the development of formal interview questions.
  3. A third meeting when the candidates are on-site for interviews and the new superintendent is selected and contract parameters determined.
  4. A final meeting is scheduled after the new superintendent is in the district. This workshop helps to clarify board and superintendent responsibilities and priorities to help ensure a positive beginning to the relationship.

More Information

For more information about working with AASB to manage your superintendent search, please contact:

Email Katie Oliver, Policy and Superintendent Search Manager, or call (907) 463-1660.

For application assistance, please email Heather Shaw, Communications & Marketing Coordinator, or call (907) 463-1660.