Juneau School Board selects Shawn Arnold for superintendent
Published 1:53 pm Thursday, March 12, 2026
Thunder Mountain Middle School principal Shawn Arnold was selected by the Juneau School Board on March 10 as the next superintendent of the school district, replacing Frank Hauser.
“It’s not about titles. It’s not about a salary, it’s about service, and kind of giving back to the community that is my home,” Arnold said of his aspirations for the position at a public forum on March 4.
Arnold joined the Juneau School District in 2021 as director of student services after serving as superintendent in Nome from 2014 to 2018 and Valdez from 2018 to 2021.
At the forum, Arnold appeared alongside the other finalists, Kevin Shipley, superintendent of Evadale Independent School District in Texas, and former dean of education at the University Alaska Southeast Carlee Simon, answering questions and outlining his leadership approach. Arnold said his experience in the military, which drew him to Alaska in 1994, helped shape his approach to leadership in education.
“When I was a young military leader, one of the biggest things that I was taught was a work effort, but more importantly was to take care of people,” Arnold reflected in his introduction. “It’s the people that make it happen.”
Later at the forum, Arnold emphasized visibility, consistency and collaboration in his approach to building relationships and trust within the district. Arnold also advocated for academic freedom in response to a question regarding DEI, highlighted the importance of special education, and affirmed the value of optional programs.
“Coming in means connecting with stakeholders, affirming the strengths that we have and then starting to review the alignment across the district,” Arnold replied in a March 2 call with the Empire when asked what his first steps would be as superintendent. “We need to make sure that our resources, our staffing, are aligned to support all of our students.”
Arnold described himself as “honored and excited” in an announcement of his selection by the Juneau School Board on March 10.
“I look forward to working alongside our staff, families, and community partners to build on the many strengths already present in our schools while continuing to create opportunities for every student to thrive,” Arnold stated. “Together, we will focus on supporting our staff, strengthening relationships, and ensuring that Juneau’s schools remain a source of pride in our community.”
