KPBSD chooses Pederson as next Homer High principal

School district held public interviews Wednesday, April 9.

Paul Banks Elementary School Principal Eric Pederson interacts with students in this undated photo at the school in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)

Paul Banks Elementary School Principal Eric Pederson interacts with students in this undated photo at the school in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)

A new principal has been hired for Homer High School and is set to begin next school year. Eric Pederson has more than two decades of educational leadership experience and is not new to Homer or the Kenai Peninsula. He is currently the school district’s director of Elementary Education and previously served as the principal of Paul Banks Elementary from 2013 to 2021. He holds a Master of Education in K-12 education administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

According to a post on Homer High School’s official Facebook page, Pederson’s leadership is marked by “strong collaboration, high expectations, and a deep belief in the potential of every student (and) throughout his career — from his early days teaching in rural Alaska to his work as a principal mentor and state leader — Eric has built a reputation as a thoughtful, student-centered leader who leads with integrity, vision, and heart.”

During his public interview held last week, Pederson said he grew up in a household of educators and spent his fair share of time in the principal’s office as a student, giving him a unique perspective on the student-principal relationship.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

When asked why he wants to work at Homer High School, he had a simple answer.

“I want to make it the best school in the state.”

Pederson said his biggest priority is building relationships, which require a “building block of trust” between staff and students. His philosophy on discipline is that it is an opportunity for growth.

“It’s a chance to help a young adult make decisions that are better.”

When asked what meaningful student interaction looks like for him, Pederson said he spends a lot of time in hallways, connecting with students.

“Again, it’s all about relationships and trust.”

Principal Douglas Waclawski announced his retirement at the end of the 2024-2025 school year in Homer High School’s March 2025 newsletter. Waclawski was the principal at Homer High School for 15 years.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District representatives interviewed four candidates, including Pederson, for the position Wednesday, April 9. Around 60 people attended on Zoom, with more attending in person at the Homer High School library.

Each candidate was asked 14 questions over 45 minutes. Audience members were welcome to listen but not allowed to ask questions or interact with the applicants. Those in attendance were given an online survey, along with a link to the candidates’ resumes, to provide community feedback on the interviews.

Other candidates interviewed were current Seward High School Principal Henry Burns; Christopher Ruggles, assistant principal for activities at both Dimond and South Anchorage High Schools; and Katie Bynagle, current assistant principal at Homer High School.

Reach reporter Chloe Pleznac at chloe.pleznac@homernews.com.

More in News

Rep. Andi Story (D-Juneau), Rep. Rebecca Himschoot (I-Sitka), and Rep. Sarah Vance (R-Homer) watch the vote tally during a veto override joint session on an education bill Tuesday, May 20. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Dunleavy outlines priorities for special session

The Senate and House majority say the Legislature plans to consider two veto overrides.

Mount Marathon, seen July 4, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Swiss hiker rescued near Mount Marathon in Seward

The hiker said he’d climbed a mountain and gone beyond his ability

tease
‘All the kids are grand champions’

Kenai Peninsula 4-H shows off at Agriculture Expo

Soldotna City Council member Jordan Chilson and Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney grill hot dogs at the Progress Days Block Party at Parker Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Progress Days block party keeps celebration going

Vendors, food trucks, carnival games and contests entertained hundreds

Children take candy from a resident of Heritage Place during the 68th Annual Soldotna Progress Days Parade in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It feels so hometown’

68th Annual Soldotna Progress Days parade brings festivity to city streets

Kachemak Bay is seen from the Homer Spit in March 2019. (Homer News file photo)
Toxin associated with amnesic shellfish poisoning not detected in Kachemak Bay mussels

The test result does not indicate whether the toxin is present in other species in the food web.

Superintendent Clayton Holland speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Federal education funding to be released after monthlong delay

The missing funds could have led to further cuts to programming and staff on top of deep cuts made by the KPBSD Board of Education this year.

An angler holds up a dolly varden for a photograph on Wednesday, July 16. (Photo courtesy of Koby Etzwiler)
Anchor River opens up to Dollies, non-King salmon fishing

Steelhead and rainbow trout are still off limits and should not be removed from the water.

A photo provided by NTSB shows a single-engine Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, that crashed shortly after takeoff in a mountainous area of southwestern Alaska, Sept. 12, 2023. The plane was weighed down by too much moose meat and faced drag from a set of antlers mounted on its right wing strut, federal investigators said on Tuesday.
Crash that killed husband of former congresswoman was overloaded with moose meat and antlers, NTSB says

The plane, a single-engine Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, crashed shortly after takeoff in a mountainous area of southwestern Alaska on Sept. 12, 2023.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in