Troxel to head Mat-Su schools

Jan. 12, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - George Troxel, assistant superintendent of education and instruction, is the new Mat-Su Borough School District superintendent.

Following a half-hour executive session in the middle of Wednesday's school board meeting, board members voted unanimously to hire Troxel.

Troxel will replace chief school administrator Bob Doyle, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

A position as Houston's Jr./Sr. High School assistant principal brought Troxel to the Mat-Su district 17 years ago. He later had a stint as principal of Big Lake Elementary, and then as principal of Palmer Junior/Middle School.

Later, Troxel spent eight years at the Mat-Su central office as director of education and, for the past five years, as assistant superintendent. Troxel also spent five months in early 2000 as interim superintendent.

Troxel graduated from the University of Montana, Missoula, in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in English, and a master's in school administration in 1982. He holds Alaska certificates for language arts type A, superintendent type B and principal type B.

Troxel also has been involved in the community, serving as a member of the Mat-Su United Way board and the Mat-Su Valley Regional Hospital board.

Troxel will move into the superintendent's office July 1. Though the standard term is two years, Troxel said he will work out his specific term during contract negotiations between now and July.

Maintaining the direction he helped create in district curriculum is central to his future role as superintendent, Troxel said.

“Momentum is at its strongest pitch,” he said.

Over the past five years, the district has adopted new curriculum, and has educated teachers to better instruct students in the new curriculum. And, as superintendent, Troxel said he will continue to fine-tune student assessment, including helping the district develop new tests built on district curriculum, administering the tests regularly, and extracting meaningful interpretations of students' test scores.

During Wednesday's meeting, the new superintendent said his intention is to promote the three most important aspects of education: “Instruction, instruction, instruction.”

Board members praised their chosen superintendent.

“We're sending an enormous amount of faith your way,” said Linda Menard, vice president of the school board. “The first thing I ask is for you to call you mother and let her know.”

Troxel listens and understands, said board member Jim Colver.

“We're not looking for the sexiest guy. We're looking for the one who'll bring people together,” he said.

The only negative comment about Troxel's credentials came from Dan Contini. Public speaking is not Troxel's strong suit, Contini said, but a public speaking course might hone that skill.

Also vying for the position of superintendent were Aquine Jackson, chief academic officer, Office of Academic Excellence, Milwaukee Public Schools; David Nufer, Finger Lake Elementary principal; Jim Nygaard, Southeast Island School District superintendent; and Don Clark, Cordova Jr./Sr. High School principal and superintendent of Cordova School District.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@

frontiersman.com.