Dear Member of the Dillingham Community,

This past Friday, February 17th, 2023, Principal Tweet was informed that he would not be getting a contract for the 2023-2024 school year to continue as the Principal of Dillingham Elementary School (DES). Instead, Superintendent Amy Brower offered him the position of Director of Pipeline Services Coordination. Principal Tweet did not apply for this position, nor was it posted according to DCSD policy as stipulated under Board Policy 4111. This position Superintendent Brower has deemed "a promotion" is an office-based position without direct engagement with students. It also relies solely upon grant funds that have no guaranteed longevity, offering no stability for a future here for the Tweet family. Principal Tweet instead hoped to remain the administrator of the Elementary School.

Nick Tweet has been the DES Principal since the Fall of 2021, serving the school with solid leadership among educators, cultivating a positive climate for all students, and providing a deep knowledge of education in Rural Alaska. He has been with DES since 2006 as a Fifth-grade teacher and Social Skills teacher with Marilyn Rosene, before serving as an Assistant Principal beginning in 2014 with Nick Schollmeier.

Many may not know this, but Mr. Tweet was born and raised in Nome, Alaska. Dillingham has been the home where he has raised a family of 4 children, all educated in the DCSD school system since Kindergarten. His wife, the speech pathologist for our District, also provides much-needed services to our children.

The role of a Principal within a school is to lead the educating staff and create a climate and culture that sustains learning for all students. The Superintendent's role is to help grow our administrators within the District by providing feedback so they can meet the needs of our students. Unfortunately, this abrupt change in position for Principal Tweet does not offer growth or feedback; instead, it disrupts leadership in our Elementary environment, the second change in what will be less than two school years.

The children of this community deserve stability and consistency. The children of this community deserve educators that establish a safe and desirable learning environment. Our school's current environment fostered by Principal Tweet is precisely that.

If you believe that the school culture and climate of DES is a benefit to your children under the leadership of Mr. Tweet, as do many teachers within the school, please take the time to sign this petition. Should you wish to have 5 minutes to share at the school board meeting this coming Monday, February 20th, please show up at 5:45 or earlier to sign up for public comment.

Our community and our children need your support.

Susie Jenkins-Brito