FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2019

For more information:

Dr. Bridget Weiss, Superintendent, 907.523.1702
Bridget.weiss@juneauschools.org

Juneau School District selects new Student Services Director
Juneau – The Juneau School District announces that Christopher Aguirre is the new Director of Student
Services. Aguirre is currently Assistant Superintendent of the North Slope Borough School District in
Utqiagvik. He has served in the role for the past two years, managing the district budget, school board
policies, negotiations, instructional leadership and support, and a reorganization of district office. He worked
to successfully reduce the dropout rate from nine to three percent, while improving student achievement.
From 2014 to 2017, Aguirre was Principal of Kodiak High School where he led the school to an increase in
graduation rate from 87 to 96 percent, while lowering the dropout rate to 0.4 percent. He created an
international award winning STEAM program; reformed science, social studies and CTE curricula;
implemented social-emotional learning; and guided the school through the accreditation process.
Aguirre has 20 years of experience in education in Alaska, Texas and New York, and a strong background in
career and technical education (CTE). He was a CTE program teacher in New York and Director of
Vocational Education for the Kodiak Island Borough School District, before participating in Administratorin-Training Leadership Academy at the New York City (NYC) Department of Education. From there he
became the Assistant Principal at NYC High School of Hospitality Management and then the Founding
Principal of City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture and Technology; the first career and
technical education Early College high school in New York City.
“JSD is fortunate to welcome Chris to our team. His varied experiences in leadership will be a tremendous
asset,” says Dr. Bridget Weiss, Superintendent of the Juneau School District.
The Director position has been vacant since the promotion of Dr. Weiss to Superintendent at the beginning
of the 2018-19 school year. The Juneau School District began the search for the Director of Student Services
in January, and is pleased to have found the right candidate to join the district’s leadership team.
"From Skagway to the North Slope my wife and I have been fortunate to have been part of some fantastic
Alaskan communities. We started our life together in Skagway so it is special to return to Southeast Alaska,”
Aguirre says. “I am excited to be joining a team of such dedicated professionals and I am looking forward to
serving Juneau students."
Aguirre holds a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University and Bachelor of Arts
in Geography from Humboldt State University. His Educational Administration certification is from
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and he completes his Superintendent Endorsement at the University of
Alaska Southeast this summer. Aguirre begins work in Juneau in July 2019.
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