A long-time Kodiak resident and former school administrator recently stepped into the position of Interim Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. Betty Walters began her new set of responsibilities Wednesday.
Walters, who is originally from New York City, served as a school administrator in the Kodiak Island Borough School District for more than twenty years and, before yesterday, was the administrator for the Alaska Statewide Mentor Project, which provides mentorship to teachers.
Walters says she’ll work at the direction of the Interim Commissioner, Susan McCauley.
“And do as many of the contacts and the like with staff and divisions as is necessary… also working with the legislature, working with the state board on their agendas and packets and meetings and the like.”
Walters already has an idea of what her working relationship with McCauley will be like.
“I have worked with Susan in the past through the Mentor Project and found her to be effective and efficient and look forward to working closely with her this time.”
Walters says Wednesday was her first day as interim deputy commissioner in Juneau.
“I was up on the hill at the capitol with the Senate Subcommittee on Education, and they were hearing presentations from different areas that they had requested, and I was a part of that, and I heard information on early childhood education.”
She says she’ll split her time between Juneau and Kodiak, and try to fly back home on the weekends.
Meanwhile, it’s still up in the air how the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development will select its permanent replacement for the former Commissioner, Mike Hanley. Walters says she will serve through this legislative session.
Kayla Deroches is a reporter at KMXT in Kodiak.
