News release: School board approves interim Superintendent of Schools

Board of Education approves Mr. John O’Brien to become interim KPBSD Superintendent of Schools

Soldotna, April 18, 2019—At a special board of education meeting, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District school board voted 8-0 to amend and approve John O’Brien’s FY20 contract to officially place Mr. John O’Brien as the KPBSB Interim Superintendent on July 1, 2019 until June 30, 2020.
“I humbly accept this appointment as Interim Superintendent and am 100% committed to work on behalf of the entire Kenai Peninsula community to achieve positive educational outcomes for our students,” said Mr. O’Brien. “The Board of Education asked me to step up to help our school district through this challenging transition period in our state. I am committed to the students, parents, and staff of this District and will work with everyone to provide a high quality educational experience for our students through the continued implementation of our five-year strategic plan. We clearly have many difficult choices ahead of us as a District due to the fiscal uncertainty in our state. I am hopeful that by persistently working together we will emerge from this storm stronger, more resilient, and more cohesive.”
 
An educator since 1993, Mr. O’Brien began his career twenty-six years ago as a special education teacher in Maine. While an educator in Maine, he served schools as an athletic director, assistant principal, principal, and as Maine’s Distinguished Educator for Teacher Quality at the Maine Department of Education. In 2005, he and his family moved to Nikiski, Alaska, where he joined the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District as the educational and instructional leader of Nikiski Middle-High School. In 2011, he left the role of school principal to serve as the director of secondary education for the KPBSD, and in 2015 became the assistant superintendent of instruction. Mr. O’Brien holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. In his free time he takes every opportunity he can to chase rainbow trout with a fly rod.
Board President Penny Vadla said, “I have every confidence that Interim Superintendent John O’Brien is committed to move our District forward through these challenging and demanding times. Superintendent O’Brien will work diligently to ensure our five year strategic plan and our vision are kept intact; and with the collaborative efforts of the District Leadership team and the Board of Education, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will continue our commitment to provide a quality educational experience for all KPBSD students.”
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