Administration
Chris Reitan - Superintendent
Chris Reitan grew up in Aurora, Colorado. He earned his B.A. in History and English from Pacific Lutheran University, then went on to get a MA in Education from UAF in Curriculum and Instruction. Mr. Reitan holds a type B principal certification and superintendent certification from UAA.
Chris started his education career as a graduate teacher intern at Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, Alaska, he was then hired as a secondary teacher at Meade River School in the North Slope Borough School District. Mr. Reitan went on to work as a secondary teacher at the David-Louis Memorial School in the Iditarod Area School District. Chris was hired as a secondary teacher by the Galena School District in 1997 and went on to become an assistant principal. He then moved up to principal and then assistant superintendent in the Galena school system. On July 1st, 2011 Mr. Reitan was named the Superintendent in charge of the entire Galena School District following the retirement of Jim Smith.
Chris has been working for the Galena school system for the past 14 years. He enjoys living in a small rural town and working for the Galena school district. Chris said, "Galena is one of the most progressive school districts in the state of Alaska." In his free time Mr. Reitan enjoys playing cards and reading up on current events. When the weather is nice in the spring, summer, or fall Chris enjoys being outside sitting around the campfire.
email: chris.reitan@galenanet.com
phone: 907-656-1205 ex 109
Beth Buchanan- SHS K-12 Principal
Beth Buchanan grew up under the big skies of Montana . She played basketball in college and earned an undergraduate B.A. degree in secondary education with a social studies emphasis. Beth also earned a Master's degree in Educational curriculum and instruction. She also has a M.A. in Education Leadership. Ms. Buchanan has lived and worked in Galena for the past 11 years. In addition to being the principal at the Sidney Huntington campus Beth is also the varsity girls basketball coach.
Beth said, "I love that this community is all about kids and education. I have great people to work with who really care about the students and the quality of their education. I enjoy spending time with the students and being a part of their lives. I also love coaching basketball.
Beth's hobbies and interest are coaching basketball, and basketball as well as coaching and basketball (that is not a typo). Beth is a very dedicated coach and student of the game and most school nights you can find her in the gym .... you guessed it .... coaching basketball or overseeing open gym.
Beth's advice to students is, "Be nice to people. Twenty years from now it is the people you will remember, so make some good memories." Beth has two favorite sayings:
Beth said, "School is supposed to be enjoyable, and life is supposed to be enjoyable too, so bring it some joy"
email: beth.buchanan@galenanet.com
phone: 907-656-1205 ex 104
Jon Buchanan- Dean of Students and Athletics Director
Jon Buchanan grew up in Montana but he now calls Alaska his home. Jon earned a Bachelor's degree in education when he went to college in Montana on a football scholarship.
Jon began his teaching career as a Vocational teacher for Yukon Koyukuk School District in Nulato. He worked there for 8 years, then he accepted a job in Galena and relocated upriver. Jon has been in Galena for the past 11 years. During that time he has worn a number of different hats. He has taught vocational classes, physical education, and most recently has been an administrator at both the SHS and GILA campuses. Jon also coaches Jr. High basketball, Little Hawks elementary basketball and serves as the activities and athletic director. Galena has a very strong and diverse activities program thanks to Jon's leadership and involvement.
Jon said, "The best part of my day is the interaction with students."
Jon's interests include flying (he owns an airplane that used to belong to former Alaska Governor Jay Hammond), shooting and editing digital video, watching basketball, being involved with his children’s activities, and cooking.
Jon remarked, "I received the 1st “Scupper Boy” Award……in fact I am not sure another one has ever been awarded." We are not sure what the "Scupper Boy" award is for so you will have to ask Jon yourself. Jon's advice to students is, "listen to your upperclassmen and believe them when they say 'Don’t wish it away, cause it happens too fast.' Seize the moment!" One of Jon's favorite sayings is, “Wherever you go….there you are.”
The Buchanan family is very involved in Galena schools. Jon & his wife Beth both work as administrators at the school and their three children are all students at Galena. The Buchanan's care for children shows in that they also serve as emergency foster parents as needed.
email: jon.buchanan@galenanet.com
phone: 907-656-2053 ex 104
John Hurley - GILA Principal
By CARL ROSE
Staff writer
One day John Hurley and a friend of his attempted to climb a mountain called Mt. Henry - 8,500 feet tall in Montana’s Glacier National Park. They hiked up until they got to a big snowfield that reached the rest of the way to the summit. He looked at it and thought, if you start to slip, you’ll fall 1,000 to 2000 feet and die. But they started to walk across it and got a quarter of the way across when they decided they didn’t have the right equipment to do it. They turned back. A week later they decided to go for try a second try. They took the same trail and eventually arrived at the huge snowfield again, but this time they decided to go all the way to the top. When they got to the top they were happy and relieved their persistence paid off.
Mr. Hurley is facing another challenge this year as the new principal at the Galena Interior Learning Academy. “GILA is the most interesting school I have ever heard about,” said Mr. Hurley.
“The caliber of kids that have a plan and are working towards something, and how courageous you all are for leaving your comfort zone back home is the most surprising thing I have seen about the GILA school students,” he said.
John Hurley was born in Edison, New Jersey, on Aug. 27, 1956. His dad’s name is James Hurley. He joked that his mom was just “Mom Hurley.” He has two older brothers, Jim and Tom Hurley. He is not currently married and has a son named Tom, 22, who works and lives in Metlakatla for the Metlakatla Indian Community. He is learning the fishing industry by working in cold storage.
Before Mr. John Hurley came to GILA to become our principal, he worked and succeeded as an elementary principal at West Homer Elementary School in Homer for a year and at Metlakatla for eight years.
He has also worked as a principal in Durango, Colo., at the Durango School District for two years. Prior to his administrative experience, he was a teacher-principal in Ekwok in the Southwest Region School district and in Dillingham for three years.
Mr. Hurley said he wants to make a positive impact in everybody’s life at GILA.
email: john.hurley@galenanet.com
phone:
Dave Pavish - Coordinator of Student Services
Pav once took a group of students out on a lake and spent the night during the cold winter. It was a survival training for teens. They slept in sleeping bags on spruce branches. Pav is usually the first person that students wishiing to attend GILA talk to. At GILA many students like to hangout in his office to visit, relax, and get coffee between classes.
Pav was raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Even though he grew up in a big city, he now has lived for more than ten years in Galena. This started out as a job he found in the paper, he then went from working as a Residential Advisor in the dorms to a Coordinator of Student Services. He decides which students would be best for GILA. This job helped him grow professionally and personally. His favorite things include creative writing and poetry, walking his dag Kiva, and riding his snow-go.
He likes the community of Galena because when the town is in hard times, everybody helps out and is supportive of each other. The GILA Campus gives him a chance to help students become successful and get ready for their future. Also he likes to learn and listen to Alaska Native history.
e-mail: dave.pavish@galenanet.com
phone: 907-656-2053
Jenny Brown - District Librarian
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