A familiar face is set to take over the position of director of teaching and learning support for the Juneau School District while a new one will take over the role as the district’s director of student services beginning in July after the district announced its selection for the positions Tuesday morning.
“These director positions support the overall work of the district and will make up the support for a new superintendent, so these positions are really important as we bring in a new superintendent,” said Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss, who previously announced she would retire at the end of June.
Kristin Garot, the current principal at Yaakoosgé Daakahídi High School and Montessori Borealis Public School, was selected by a committee of district staff and administrators to fill the director of teaching and learning support position which is tasked with the responsibility of the district’s curriculum development, instructional framework, professional development, an assessment system and federal program requirements.
She will lead a team of other education professionals who will assist with the responsibilities.
Garot is no stranger to the Juneau school system having joined it as an English and history teacher at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé more than 20 years ago, according to the district. Since then, she has also filled many positions throughout different schools and has an extensive background in district administrative experience and was named Principal of the Year for Southeast Alaska in 2021.
Garot will be filling the shoes of the current director Ted Wilson who is expected to retire from his position after spending more than 25 years serving throughout the district.
“Kristin of course brings that really solid long-term institutional knowledge which is so important to deliver continuity in our instructional programs,” Weiss said.
Weiss described Garot as a “solid leader” in the district for many years, and said her commitment and understanding of Juneau and the district will be very beneficial to her and the people she will work with, which will include the new superintendent.
Weiss said with Garot being selected for the new position, the district will be searching for a new principal to replace her current role at Yaakoosgé Daakahídi High School and Montessori Borealis Public School.
Jason DeCamillis, a teacher consultant for students with visual impairments at Washtenaw Intermediate School District in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was selected by the district as the new student services director and will oversee the district’s special education program along with student-related services.
According to the district, DeCamillis has considerable experience in the field of special education as a teacher, leader and administrator.
DeCamillis will replace Weiss who currently serves in the position while also managing her responsibilities as superintendent. Weiss said she originally filled the role as student services director from 2014-2019 before becoming the superintendent but because of difficulties with filling the position in recent years, she has worn both hats. However, with her leaving the district come July, both her roles needed replacements.
“This is a really hard-to-fill position and think he brings a depth of knowledge around the special education processes and a willingness to be creative and find solutions to provide ongoing support with families and students in our special education program,” she said.
In addition to the current search for a new superintendent underway to replace Weiss and a new principal to replace Garot at Yaakoosgé Daakahídi High School and Montessori Borealis Public School, Weiss said the district is currently looking for candidates to fill the principal positions for the district’s Tlingit Culture Language Literacy Program and at Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱ Glacier Valley Elementary School.
She said the positions are currently open for application and the hiring process will begin in the coming weeks.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
