Paramo is new superintendent

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough School District Board of Education unanimously voted Thursday to hire longtime district educator and administrator Deena Paramo as its new superintendent. She replaces former Superintendent Kenneth Burnley, who died suddenly July 2.

“I’m feeling terrific, of course, but its a bittersweet way to move ahead,” Dr. Paramo said after the vote. “Just prior to Dr. Burnley‘s passing, the board had set goals and objectives for this next year and I‘m going to work to stay focused on those objectives. We want to have a very smooth start to the school year … and I’m ready for the challenge.”

Burnley, who’d been hired July 1, 2010, from a field of applicants that included Paramo, died while recovering from double knee replacement surgery.

Paramo has served as acting superintendent since.

An estimated 500 educators, family members and friends attended Burnley’s July 8 memorial service at Teeland Middle School. Speakers at the celebration included Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau, MSBSD Board President Mike Dunleavy, Alaska Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, Alaska Commissioner of Education Mike Hanley, Burnley’s brother Dennis and Burnley’s son Trevor. Paramo did not speak during the service.

Instead, Deputy Superintendent Ken Forrest, who worked under Burnley at two other districts, shared his admiration for his longtime colleague.

Paramo had applied for the superintendent’s post in the spring of last year after the resignation of Superintendent George Troxel. She was among the top five finalists in that search, which ultimately led to the hiring of Burnley at an annual salary of about $180,000 — about $40,000 more than Troxel was making.

Paramo, MSBSD assistant superintendent of instruction since 2007, first came to the district in 1996 to teach at Colony Middle School after teaching in the Cooper River School District in Glennallen. She was named assistant principal of CMS and also served as assistant principal at Teeland Middle School before becoming the principal of Cottonwood Elementary School.

She earned a bilingual education degree from the University of Texas, a master’s degree in administration from the University of Alaska, and a doctorate in learning assessment and systems performance from the University of Oregon, according to her resumé.

“I‘m excited that we have a new superintendent so quickly,” said board member Lynn Gattis after the vote. “I’ve known Deena for a long time. My kids have gone through school with her and I’m glad to see somebody rising from the ranks, and I know she’ll do very well.”

School board president Mike Dunleavy echoed those sentiments and added that because Paramo worked so closely with Burnley this past year, it gives her an advantage in knowing how he would have wanted the district to go forward from here.

“Given that we’re so close to starting the new school year, we feel we have someone in place that will do well,” Dunleavy said.

A committee of three board members met with Paramo in executive session immediately after naming her superintendent to discuss her contract. The results of those talks will be made public during a public board meeting Monday at 5 p.m. at the district’s central office.

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.