Anchorage School District unveils finalists in superintendent search

The three finalists in the Anchorage School District’s search for a new superintendent include a Sitka superintendent and former Service High principal; the superintendent of a district in Colorado; and a school district executive in Houston, Texas.

The Anchorage School Board announced the finalists Friday in an email to families signed by board president Margo Bellamy.

Jharrett Bryantt, an executive officer in the Office of Talent at the Houston Independent School District in Texas, is one of the three finalists selected. The district is among the largest in the nation, and Bryantt has worked there as an assistant superintendent and in other roles since 2013, according to a resume provided by the Anchorage School District.

Frank Hauser, another finalist, has been the superintendent of the Sitka School District since 2021. Prior to that, he was the principal of Robert Service High School in Anchorage for five years, and earlier served as assistant principal of curriculum at Dimond High School and worked in other roles within ASD, according to his resume.

The third finalist is Mathew Neal, superintendent of Colorado’s Woodland Park School District since 2021. Before that, Neal served as superintendent of American Creativity Academy in Kuwait from 2015 to 2021 and earlier worked in a variety of leadership roles at school districts in Colorado and Wyoming, according to his resume.

The search for a new superintendent began up after current superintendent Deena Bishop announced in November that she was retiring at the end of the school year. Her salary is $250,000, though the final salary for the new candidate is yet to be determined, according to the district.

The school board hired a third-party search firm, Ray and Associates, and began gathering feedback about what community members wanted in a new superintendent, Bellamy said. In all, 23 candidates applied, and the school board and search firm worked to whittle down the field of applicants, she said.

Bellamy said an incoming superintendent must ensure positive student outcomes and build relationships with employees, and they must not only communicate within the community but also advocate on the state level for funding, given the fiscal cliff the district is facing.

“The person coming in has got to be almost superhuman,” she said.

The three finalists will spend the upcoming week meeting with district and union leadership, students, staff and community members. A virtual community town hall with the finalists is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday.