Wrangell Sentinel -

The school board voted 4-0 Wednesday night to offer the top administrative position to Patrick Mayer.

Mayer was one of two finalists who interviewed for the position and participated in a public

meet-and-greet March 21. The board initially signed a contract with the other finalist, Jay Thomas, but Thomas withdrew last week citing personal reasons.

Since 2010, Mayer has been principal of Delta High School in the Delta-Greely School District headquartered in Delta Junction, near Fairbanks.

"I'm very impressed with the Wrangell

district," he said, in an interview for the March 20 edition of the Sentinel. "It's a high-achieving

district, and I really like the Southeast."

If Mayer does take the reigns at Wrangell Public Schools next year, it would complete an upper tier administrative shuffle begun last year with the announced retirement of secondary principal Monty Buness, followed by the resignation of

then-superintendent/Evergreen Principal Rich Rhodes. Deidre Jenson has since been hired as the principal at Evergreen Elementary School, with Rhodes being a superintendent only.

Mayer holds a bachelors degree from the University of Alaska-Anchorage obtained in 1995. He earned a masters from Eastern Washington University in 2000. He also holds a certificate in school business management from the University of Southern California and a superintendent

credential from Montana State University.

Starting at Delta-Greely in 2009, he worked as an elementary, middle, and eventually high school principal there.

Mayer starts work July 1, according to school board president Susan Eagle.

The school board also approved the contract at their regular meeting Monday.