Atwater fills key K-12 outreach position at UA
November 25, 2014
Steve Atwater will lead the University of Alaska's K-12 Outreach team as associate
vice president. Atwater will start his position with UA on Dec. 1, 2014.
“I want to underscore that this is a very important leadership role at the UA System,”
said University of Alaska Vice President of Academic Affairs Dana Thomas. “Dr. Atwater’s expertise
and insights are of particular importance in light of our efforts at creating productive
partnerships with Alaska’s schools, as outlined in Shaping Alaska’s Future.”
Atwater has a strong understanding of the challenges faced by Alaska’s schools.
“After spending the past 25 years working in both rural and urban school districts,
I am pleased to join the University of Alaska," Atwater said. "The need to more tightly
align the educational efforts of our state's K-12 districts with our university system
is well established. I look forward to helping to meet this need in my new position.”
Atwater joins UA after five years as superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough
School District, where he was named Alaska’s 2013 Superintendent of the Year. Prior
to his work for KPBSD, Atwater taught secondary education and served consecutively
as head teacher, curriculum coordinator and superintendent for the Lake and Peninsula
School District in King Salmon.
Atwater’s experience with the Alaska education system extends to his own professional
training, as he earned both his master’s in education and his doctorate in educational
leadership from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
For more information, contact Kate Wattum at 907-450-8104 or kewattum@alaska.edu.