Board interviews three finalists for interim superintendent; candidates emphasize fiscal discipline, tribal partnership and student voice

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board interviewed three finalists for interim superintendent on Nov. 25, asking each candidate the same set of nine questions in 45‑minute blocks.

Sherry Bollard, who the board later appointed interim superintendent, framed her candidacy around long ties to the community and prior leadership in school turnaround work. She emphasized collaborative decision‑making and cited past examples — including a shift to multi‑age classrooms and later Blue Ribbon recognition at Point Higgins — as evidence of successful staff collaboration. During her financial answer Bollard said the district is confronting an additional prior‑year liability of about $5,200,000 and recommended prioritizing core academic services and using zero‑based or program budgeting to lay out multiple cut scenarios.

Scott Huff described his motivation as “grounded in service,” saying the district needs steady leadership, calm and clear communication. Huff stressed immediate actions such as obtaining accurate financials, freezing nonessential spending as appropriate, rebuilding reporting and internal controls, and producing multiple budget scenarios (worst/mid/best case) to plan for Title funding uncertainty. He also proposed student‑facing outreach, including board debriefs with high school students and regular school visits to surface student concerns.

Richard Rollman emphasized fit as the key hiring criterion and recounted work in small Alaska communities to rebuild enrollment and community confidence by restoring program quality and communications. On finance he advocated prioritizing core services and pacing work to avoid staff burnout, using the district’s strategic plan to guide stewardship.

Across interviews candidates commonly proposed:

- Immediate financial triage: build multiple budget scenarios and prioritize essential services to protect instruction. - Rebuilding trust via presence and listening: meet tribal partners, elders and cultural leaders; strengthen board‑president communication routines. - Student voice: expand opportunities for student reports and school visits, and identify school‑level advocates for student concerns.

The interview process was public and structured; the board held deliberations in executive session before returning to appoint Bollard. No formal public debate over candidate qualifications occurred after the executive session; the board’s 6–1 vote to appoint followed those confidential deliberations.

The board directed the president to negotiate a contract to return to the full board for approval; contract terms were not disclosed at the meeting.