Lance Bowie Named New Superintendent of City Schools

Lance Bowie Named New Superintendent of City Schools

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

SCHOOL DISTRICT- Lance Bowie, former Director of Secondary Schools in Clarksville, Tennessee has been named the new Superintendent for Valdez City Schools following a detailed interview with the school board Monday night. Bowie made the rounds about town all day Monday along with the other two finalist for the position, PJ Slack-Ford, currently the principal of North Pole High School and Connie Newman, the Superintendent of the Chatham School District in Angoon. “He will be the superintendent,” said Flynn Stuparich, Administrative Assistant for the district. “His contract will start July 1.”

While Bowie comes to Valdez via Tennessee, he is no stranger to Alaska. He is the former principal of both West Anchorage High School and Wendler Junior High in Anchorage.

Mr. Bowie was offered the contract after a long day of events around town with the other two candidates. In addition to detailed interviews with the school board, the candidates met with the public during a “Meet the Candidates” night at the district office, met with staff of all three schools and had an informal question and answer session with the Valdez High School Student Council during lunch.

The students asked all three candidates questions on issues like their views on alternative education and their style of implementing change. Bowie joked that the only people who enjoy change are babies with wet diapers. In keeping with that philosophy, he says you need to review what you already have, include stakeholders effected by the change and ease into it if it is determined a change is needed. “At home I’m a dictator though,” he added.

The school board made its final decision early Tuesday morning, offered Bowie the contract and he accepted. Bowie replaces outgoing Superintendent Ernie Manzie who resigned two years into his three year contract. Look for a complete profile of the new top administrator of Valdez City Schools in upcoming editions of The Star.