This article has been updated to include a corrected date.
In honor of International Women’s Day, Juneau’s Board of Education members took a few minutes out of their Tuesday evening meeting to honor the woman who leads the school district, Superintendent Bridget Weiss.
”We want to collectively recognize the work you’ve sustained over the last year,” said Elizabeth Siddon, board president. “You carry the burden of each student who is struggling and every family who has had to make difficult decisions.”
Siddon shared that the board nominated Weiss for a Women of Distinction award. AWARE, a local organization, sponsors the award.
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According to their website, AWARE provides “safe shelter and supportive services for survivors of domestic or sexual violence; and to effect the social, political, and legal changes needed to eliminate oppression, gender violence, and violence against children.”
Their website says the award recognizes women who have “demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of life for women and children in Juneau.” Winners will be announced in March 2022.
The board was eager to share news of the nomination with Weiss and read from the nomination as they honored her.
“This past year has been one of the most challenging,” board member and clerk Paul Kelly said. “We have leaned heavily on our homegrown leaders.”
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Kelly added that Weiss has demonstrated “out-of-the-box and out-of-the-bag thinking” to help keep students fed through meal drop-off sites while the school has been closed for in-person learning.
“She is almost always accessible. She remained hard at work all summer. She is dedicated to our district and the community she grew up in,” Kelly added.
Board Vice President Kevin Allen called Weiss a widely recognized leader.
“She has been a mentor and role model for several superintendents across the state and served as a moral resource,” he said.
•Contact Dana Zigmund at dana.zigmund@juneauempire.com or 907-308-4891.
