In her April 14 letter of resignation, Suzzuk Mary Huntington wrote, “I care deeply about the school, the students, staff, families, alumni, and supporters of Mt. Edgecumbe High School.” (KCAW/Rose)
Suzzuk took on the top job at Mt. Edgecumbe in 2022. At the time, many celebrated the arrival of an Indigenous leader at the school, whose student body is drawn from some of the most remote corners of Alaska. In a profile by KCAW, Suzzuk – who grew up in Shishmaref and graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe in 1994 – described her interest in creating a more “culturally-responsive education.”
Recently, however, Mt. Edgecumbe has suffered from the same budget shortfalls experienced by public schools across the state. Earlier this year, Suzzuk and the Department of Education presented a prospective budget to the school’s advisory board that could have cut the teaching staff by fifty-percent, depending on the actions of the legislature and the governor.
In her letter of resignation, Suzzuk mentions only her ongoing care for the students, families, and staff of the school. She writes, “As the world has grown more uncertain, so has the need to be physically closer to my immediate and extended family as well as the Arctic environment of my culture and heritage.”
Suzzuk Mary Huntington’s resignation as superintendent of Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka is effective as of June 30.
