New Superintendent for School District Named

Browder, from Florida, will replace Comeau

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By KTVA CBS 11 News
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Dr. Jim Browder, formerly of Florida, will replace Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau, it was announced this morning. School board President Gretchen Guess said Browder will begin in April, with "Comeau in charge until June." The news was received with loud applause.

"You can't do anything in isolation," Browder told KTVA CBS 11's Kirsten Swann early Tuesday afternoon. "One of the things I'm going to do when I come up is listen, listen, listen."

Regarding cuts to the district's budget, "You have to be willing to make those hard decisions, but if you do a really good job of getting all the information to everybody, as many people as you can, the decision becomes matter-of-fact for folks."

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Steve Atwater will continue to serve that district. In a press release, Atwater was quoted as saying, “I was honored to be chosen as a finalist and appreciate our School Board, employees, and community support through this time. I offer my congratulations to Dr. Browder, and appreciate the Anchorage School Board selecting me as a finalist. The application process was a positive experience; it helped me gain a deeper understanding of education in Anchorage and Alaska. I look forward to continuing the good work that we are doing to give our students here on the Kenai a world class education.”

Read Browder's contract here, and tune in for more at 5, 6 and 10, as well as KTVA.com.

Read Comeau's current contract here.

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MF said on Wednesday, Feb 1 at 6:53 AM

Send this carpet-bagger packing... the last thing we need is another overpriced mouthpiece telling Anchorage they need to pay more money for a dropout rate that nears fifty percent. Our school district has an 'edifice complex' ... the other two commentors can take their syrupy visions to IHOP .. education in Alaska is an ongoing criminal enterprise

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kathy thibideau said on Tuesday, Jan 31 at 8:53 PM

It is so refreshing to get a new start for the District! This should have happened years ago. The District needs new vision and light and this has not happened. It appears that all the visionaries have disappeared with Comeau. Hopefully, with an outside individual who has truly studied and will understand the needs of Anchorage, all needs will be met! There have been many biased opinions from this District and this needs to be corrected asap! What about the needs of the Native population? There's much talk and little substance!

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beverly bianga said on Tuesday, Jan 31 at 8:42 PM

Thanks to God that she (Comeau) is finally stepping down........she has looked like a corpse for many years and this District needs new blood (literally). I believe Anchorage was afraid to let go of a known individual. New change is always healthy and should have happened years and years ago!!! Review other districts of similar size and see the new and outstanding ideas/concepts instead of the same or a "bit of an update" that Comeau has continued to bring as the Supt. Hopefully, Anchorage can address the needs of the entire community. Rememeber, Carol was the original Teacher Union president.....has she ever been different??? People easily forget!

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