Lytle tabbed to lead new school

WASILLA — The Mat-Su Borough School District’s administration has recommended a principal they’d like to lead the Borough’s newest school, South Palmer Elementary.

Thomas Lytle, principal at Tanaina Elementary School, was chosen from a short list of five candidates by a hiring committee, district spokeswoman Catherine Esary said.

The committee is made up of Superintendent George Troxel, assistant superintendents Deena Paramo and Lebron McPhail, and board member Sarah Welton.

The Mat-Su Borough School Board will vote on Lytle’s possible employment at its Wednesday meeting.

Members of the public will have a chance to comment during the normal public comment time period about Lytle’s employment with the district.

Esary said she expects Lytle to be present for the board meeting.

Lytle did not return a message seeking comment by press time.

South Palmer Elementary will house 470 students. Built on 14.54 acres on what is largely vacant land near the Palmer Hay Flats, the school has views of the surrounding mountains and sits on property donated by developer Rex Turner in the Ranch Subdivision.

The school has not been without controversy, and residents of the nearby Garden Terrace neighborhood expressed concerns over the summer about the school increasing traffic.

Residents of Garden Terrace were particularly worried about congestion on Abby Road, which leads to the school site. They were concerned that parents would use the road as a quick way to access the school.

In June, borough public works director Keith Roundtree said school buses will take the unpaved Nelson Road — which branches off Fireweed Road, a the Parks Highway frontage — as the primary access to the school. The borough and the district, however, can’t mandate how parents access the school. Roundtree said officials are hoping they will voluntarily use Nelson Road.

South Palmer Elementary School is expected to open for the 2009-2010 school year.