District: Vice principals will stay

Despite pleas from parents, teachers and students, Mat-Su Borough School Board members say they have no intention of switching back the vice principals of two Valley high schools.

Vice principals Mark Okeson and Katie Finazzo were involuntarily transferred out of their posts and forced to trade places this school year, with Okeson ending up at Wasilla High and Finazzo at Colony.

District central administrators have said only that employees work for the district as a whole, not individual schools, and that they cannot discuss the confidential personnel matters that prompted the decision.

Parents, teachers and students of the two schools, however, have been more vocal in their opinions.

"They have each had a tremendous impact at their respective schools," Wasilla High staff members said of Finazzo and Okeson in a letter to the school board. "The rapport they have built is not something easily transferred to another school."

But despite comments like these from dozens of parents, students and teachers at Colony and Wasilla high, the school board does not appear to be ready to override the district's decision.

At last week's meeting, school board member Rob Wells said it was clear the two administrators were greatly appreciated at their former schools.

"But sometimes we have to look beyond the immediate school family," Wells said. "We are bigger than that . . . We are the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. We're a community"

Wells described the lateral transfers as an opportunity for the administrators to "grow and learn new things about our wonderful borough."

Member Mike Chmielewski said he agreed.

"We heard what you said. You've asked very clearly to have something done. But at this point, that doesn't appear possible," he said.

Superintendent Pat Chesbro followed up these comments with her own optimistic angle.

"I think it's a testimony to all of us of the quality of people we have here," she said, adding that if the two schools did not appreciate their vice principals, they would not demonstrate such "fervent, enthusiastic support."

Efforts to cast a positive light on the transfers may not be enough to curb opposition, however.

While several speakers at last week's board meeting described Okeson as seeming like a "nice guy," they emphasized they are just as unhappy with the decision as he and his Colony supporters are.

"I don't have anything against Mr. Okeson," said Wasilla parent Nanette Rucker. But she went on to say that when she served on the hiring committee that chose Finazzo for Wasilla High, she recommended the administrator because, "I believe she was a great match for our students and our community."

Fellow Wasilla High parent Renea Ogle admitted that when she first met Finazzo, she wasn't sure what to think.

"I wondered, 'What kind of administrator is this?' I believe she had green hair at that point," Ogle said of Finazzo's famously colored hair. But within a short time, Ogle said, she came to believe the vice principal was a perfect fit for Wasilla.

"We know what a gift we have in Katie Finazzo," she said.

Students, too, took their turn at the microphone to say how much they missed Finazzo.

"Mrs. Finazzo is a genuine Wasilla Warrior. She cares about us," said Shandra Johnson, a Wasilla student and peer helper.

Like those who spoke in support of Okeson, the Wasilla parents, students and staff members questioned the reasoning behind switching the administrators.

"The transfers -- whatever the motivation -- seem to serve no purpose," said parent Cheri Wien. "If the objective is to punish Okeson, what does that say about our school -- it's punishment to go to Wasilla High?"

Wien went on to say that Finazzo and her "Wasilla High family" are instead the ones who are being punished.

The transfers appear to be tied to an investigation at Colony High regarding two separate cases of teachers being accused of having sex with students. Earlier this summer, the district publicly cleared the school's administration of wrongdoing in its handling of the two cases, but Okeson told the Frontiersman he received an unflattering evaluation from central administration when the inquiry was concluded.

Saying he has never received a bad evaluation during his 10 years as a teacher, coach and administrator at Colony High, Okeson claims the most recent review was based on hearsay. He said central administration described him as arrogant and unapproachable.

"Obviously I've taken tremendous offense to that," Okeson said. "I absolutely feel it's ill-willed."

Okeson said that at the time he was given the evaluation, central administrators told him that because of it he would be transferred to Wasilla High.

Okeson told the Frontiersman he had contacted an attorney and filed a grievance with the district. He said he would do his job at Wasilla High as long as it was required, but that in the meantime he would continue to fight the transfer.

In support of his efforts to stay at Colony, more than 20 parents, students and school staff showed up at a school board meeting. They described Okeson as upbeat, energetic, attentive and dedicated, and said moving the assistant principal will only make the school year more difficult for everyone at Colony High.

While Okeson has spoken publicly about his frustration with the district, Finazzo told the Frontiersman she feels that in order for her to maintain her professionalism, she cannot comment on the transfers. She added that, "It's a personnel issue. Part of me would love to . . . but for right now, I'm just going to decline to comment."