Alaska’s state-run boarding school has a new superintendent. In an email to Mt. Edgecumbe High School staff on Wednesday afternoon (7-2-25), Commissioner of Education Deena Bishop announced that former Mt. Edgecumbe educator David Langford would fill the role.
Earlier in the week at the quarterly state Board of Education meeting (7-1-25), Deputy Commissioner Karen Morrison said her department began its hiring search last month, but they were on a tight timeline with classes resuming in August.
“The department did post for the superintendent recruitment in the middle of June,” Morrison said. “But then on our reflection, as far as the timing of hiring at the state, we have been working on an alternative plan, just so we can have somebody, hopefully, at Mt. Edgecumbe at the start of school next month.”
Former Superintendent Suzzuk Mary Huntington submitted her resignation in April after nearly three years leading the school. Deputy Commissioner Morrison said her last day was June 27, and wished her best of luck in her future endeavors. Morrison said she would share more information on the “alternative plan” with board members next week. Langford’s hire was announced by Commissioner Bishop the following day.
In her letter to school staff, Commissioner Bishop lauded Langford’s experience founding an education consulting firm and working in school leadership, most recently serving as superintendent of Ingenium Schools, a Charter school system in California. Bishop wrote, “His return to MEHS represents both a homecoming and a forward-looking opportunity.”
Web Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from an earlier version that aired on 7-2-25
