There are many transitions in one’s life. You make a transition from an embryo to a newborn, then a transition from newborn to toddler, and so on. As we age we go from young-adult to adult and then to a “senior”. I am a senior this year and will be graduating from employee to retiree.

It is with a heavy heart that I will say goodbye to this profession after nearly 31 years of service. I have had the good fortune to have worked in some very good programs all across the state of Alaska and in the Lower 48. My last three years have been spent at Steller. It has been a most challenging and enjoyable journey. You all should feel proud of what the Steller community has done. We need to keep supporting one another and working out problems together. Our students and staff are awesome and our parents are second to none. It has been a privilege and an honor to have worked with all of you over the past 3 years.

Please continue to grow and reach out to others in the greater Anchorage area. I spoke to the principal at West one day and he said to me during one of our conversations that “Steller Kids are my Kids too. So many of your kids take class at my school I fell like they are mine too.” And that is true, our kids take classes and do every sort of sport you can name at West and Romig to a lesser degree. Please grow that relationship.  It is one that will prove productive for both West and Steller. I think we should also grow our relationship with the two universities [UAA & APU] as well as the Confucius Institute. These relationships [among others] epitomize what I believe Steller is about.

Choice in how kids learn, choice in where they go to learn, internships, and mentorships are all hallmarks of Steller that make this program a worthwhile and viable educational option. But, as times change, as technology becomes omnipresent; the skills needed to navigate this frontier become qualifications to finding a great job not just an addendum on a résumé we need to be on the cutting edge of this renaissance, not lagging behind. As Steller moves forward in its bid for “Capital Projects Funding” give thought to how the project will best serve all of our kids, how it will serve all of our teachers and how it will make Steller even better able to prepare our students for life after High School.

On the one hand I wish that I could be around to help with this process, yet both my family and I are happy about my decision to hang up the pencils and erasers.

I wish you all the best of luck in your search for a new principal and with your continued journey towards and beyond excellence.

Yours Sincerely,

Harlod A. Green