By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
After finishing her job as Sitka School District superintendent in June, Mary Wegner will take charge of educational leadership programs at the University of Alaska Southeast Juneau, the district announced Friday.
Wegner told the Sentinel that she will serve as an “assistant professor at the Alaska College of Education, (in the) educational leadership faculty. The main focus of the position is to head up the masters (program) in educational leadership, that is required for people to become principals.”
Wegner earned her doctorate while studying distance learning through technology.
“Online learning is something I’m very passionate about, especially sametime synchronous online learning,” she said.
She said that one thing she will have to deal with is bandwidth issues that can cause problems with online learning in Alaska.
Wegner said her new position will involve teaching, administrative work, and interfacing between students and faculty.
This won’t be her first time as an assistant professor at UAS. She taught there in the early 2000s.
Wegner has worked in the Sitka School District for the last decade. She said she has enjoyed her time as superintendent, but it has been stressful. “I really have enjoyed being a superintendent, despite all the challenges and the stresses.
“I’ve really enjoyed doing it because of the ability to make systemic change… but it’s intense, it’s intense in work, it’s intense in expectations.”
Wegner added that moving to Juneau will allow her to spend more time with her grandchildren.
Looking back, she said, she’s “really most proud of our partnership with Sitka Tribe of Alaska, and what we’ve done to really make our schools more culturally responsive and really adjust the academic and social needs of our students.”
What will she miss most about Sitka?
“The people,” she said.
“It will be nice being closer to my grandkids. I have really appreciated being in Sitka, I feel connected to the community, I’m really proud of what we’ve done here,” she said.
