Two new educators with deep international experience are joining the Wrangell school district this fall after the school board unanimously approved their hiring at its June 19 meeting.

May Evelyn Catingub will fill a vacancy as a special education teacher, bringing 13 years of classroom experience in the United States and the Philippines.

Before entering education, Catingub worked as a pharmacist in the Philippines and initially resisted following in her mother's professional footsteps as an educator.

“My mother was a teacher, and I thought I would never want to teach. I would see how tired it made her some days,” she said. “I was offered a scholarship for a teaching program when I graduated high school, but I didn’t want it.”

Catingub eventually felt drawn to the field after observing students with special needs.

“I saw some special education students interacting with each other and I thought they were precious in the way they worked together,” she said. “It wasn’t like watching other kids. It really touched me and made me want to work with them.”

She earned a master’s degree in special education, discovering a true calling.

“I think part of that was motivated by being a mom,” she said. “That instinct makes me want to help children who struggle.”

While living in California, Catingub discovered the Wrangell openings through a Facebook job fair.

“I am looking forward to coming to Wrangell. I love that it is an island,” she said. “I think it will also be good for my husband. He is recovering from a stroke and what I have seen and heard about Wrangell makes it seem like a good fit.”

Colleen Wilson, the district’s newest elementary teacher, brings 28 years of experience, spent largely in international school systems. Her career began with a three-year stint in Uzbekistan, followed by teaching positions in South Africa, Venezuela, Ethiopia and Brazil.

“My son wanted to complete high school in the U.S., so we came back and he was able to do that,” she said. “We came back during COVID in 2020 and went to California, where I taught for five years.”

Wilson spent the past school year teaching in Cordova, where her appreciation for Alaska grew.

“I just fell in love with Alaska. I had so many friends complimenting the photos I was posting online, and I’m not a photographer. Alaska is just that beautiful. You can’t get a bad picture of it,” she said.

A chance encounter in May ultimately connected Wilson to her new position. While waiting for a ferry in Haines, she struck up a conversation with Wrangell School Board President John DeRuyter. The two spent hours discussing technology and educational philosophies.

“It was such a great conversation,” she said. “We talked about education for two hours. Who does that with a complete stranger? But it was good, because anytime I go to teach somewhere, I want to make sure the school’s philosophy aligns with mine. And what he told me the vision is for Wrangell schools was impressive, with the balance between advancing technologies and traditional methods.”

Following the encounter, Wilson submitted her resume and interviewed with Superintendent Joshua Garrett and Elementary Principal Cathy Winn. She plans to arrive in Wrangell later this summer.

“I’m really excited to get there and get started,” she said. “I am currently trying to spend more time with my family in Texas. I hope to be in Wrangell by the end of July or beginning of August.”

In addition to hiring Wilson and Catingub, the district continues advertising to fill one more job opening for a K-5 teacher and one for a K-12 special education teacher.