Skip To Main Content

2025 HHES Principal Search

Directly following the selection of current HHES Principal Jason Weber as the next VCS Superintendent for the 2025-2026 school year, the district launched an open search for a new principal for HHES. An interview committee was established composed of a diverse group of stakeholders, including the superintendent, administrators, teachers, classified staff, and parents, ensuring representation from all areas of our school community.

After a thorough review of applicants, three finalists were identified. Two finalists have committed to advancing in the selection process. The next phase will include:

  • A formal interview with the interview committee.

  • A meet-and-greet session with HHES (and VCS) staff.

  • A community meet-and-greet session to allow parents, families, and community members to interact with the candidates.

Following each session, the interview committee will collect written feedback from participants. This feedback will be shared directly with the interview committee and the superintendent to inform the final hiring decision.

Community Invitation
Members of the Valdez community are invited to meet the candidates in person and ask questions during the community meet-and-greet session:
Date: Tuesday, February 11th
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: HHES Library

We value your input and look forward to your participation in this important process as we select the next leader for HHES.

 

Meet the HHES Principal Candidate Finalists

Megan Gunderson

Megan Gunderson is the Technology Director at Valdez City Schools. She has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in public education through a decade of elementary classroom teaching experience in rural Alaska and urban Oklahoma City, followed by four years as the Instructional Design and Technology Specialist at Prince William Sound College in Valdez. She also served on the Valdez City Schools Board of Education before transitioning to her current role full-time in 2023.

Growing up in a Coast Guard family, Megan has always been surrounded by a commitment to service and education. She and her family have called Valdez home since 2019 and are deeply invested in the Valdez community—her two children attend Hermon Hutchens Elementary School, and her husband serves as an elementary school bus driver. Together, her family is dedicated to the education, safety, and well-being of all children in Valdez.

Megan believes that educational leaders have the profound responsibility to create systems of empowerment and cultures of curiosity, ensuring that every student and staff member thrives. Central to her philosophy is the belief that all children can learn and deserve a safe, inviting, and equitable learning environment. She is committed to fostering a strengths-based, data-driven approach to education, where timely, actionable feedback drives growth for both students and educators. Above all, she is unwavering in her focus on the core mission of education: ensuring students are safe, healthy, and engaged in meaningful learning experiences.

Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Master of Science in Instructional Technology, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership. She is certified as an Elementary Principal in the State of Alaska, holding a Type B Administrative Credential with the Alaska Reads Act K-3 Administrator Endorsement. Additionally, she maintains a Professional Teaching Certificate with endorsements in K-8 Elementary Education, K-8 English, K-8 Social Studies, and Instructional Technology.

 

Krista Howell

My name is Krista Howell. I earned undergraduate degrees from Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania and Adams State College in Colorado, as well as a master’s degree in special education from the University of Alaska Southeast. I am currently completing a graduate licensure program in educational leadership for principals at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

I have 17 years of teaching experience in Alaska and two years of international experience. As an elementary teacher, I taught single- and multi-grade classrooms from kindergarten to fifth grade. For the past ten years, I have worked as a special education teacher in Valdez.

My husband and I have made Valdez our home. In our free time, we enjoy snow machining, boating, running, and taking full advantage of the many outdoor opportunities the area offers.