As leadership of the Juneau School District undergoes a major changeover this summer, most of its top administrator and principal positions are being filled with current employees.
The district is filling six more leadership positions following several retirements and resignations. It announced the positions on Friday.
Thunder Mountain Middle School Assistant Principal Laura Zimmerman will step into the principal role to fill the position vacated by Shawn Arnold. Arnold will be the district’s new superintendent beginning July 1.
Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Principal Molly Yerkes will now also lead Harborview Elementary School this fall. Current Harborview Principal Scott Jonsson is slated to replace the principal at Yaaḵoosgé Daakahídi High School and Montessori Borealis, both housed at the district’s Dzantik’i Heeni campus. The former principal is currently being charged with assault after an incident with a student.
At the district level, Student Services Coordinator Monica Buettel will be the next student services director. Outgoing director Jason DeCamillis has been with the district since 2023 and announced his resignation in March.
Kelley Harvey will replace Kristin Garot, who is retiring as the district’s director of teaching and learning support. Harvey is currently a reading interventionist at Auke Bay Elementary School and was formerly a principal at Harborview Elementary School.
Sybil Van Derhoff will be the district’s next human resources director after working in that department as a specialist since last year. The current director, Lyle Melkerson, will work as an assistant principal at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé this fall. That position opened up after the district announced current Assistant Principal Kelly Stewart would be the next principal at Sít’ Eetí Shaanáx – Glacier Valley Elementary School.
The only outside hire is for the new assistant superintendent position, which will be filled by Sheila Armstrong. Armstrong is an administrator for Tulsa Public Schools in Oklahoma. Her first day will be July 1.
The Juneau School Board approved creating the assistant superintendent position to replace the chief of staff. Kristin Bartlett is the current chief of staff and will retire this summer.
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