PALMER — Mat-Su School District Superintendent George Troxel will retire at the end of this school year.

The news of Troxel’s retirement came in the form of a letter he penned for distribution to the school board in preparation for this week’s board meeting, which is to be held Wednesday at Palmer High School.

School Board President Colleen Vague said she will be sad to see Troxel go.

Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent George Troxel.

“I like George,” she said. “For the past three years I think he was exactly what the school district needed.” she said.

But, she said, she can appreciate and respect his desire to move on.

She said the letter didn’t surprise her, but she was surprised 10 days ago when Troxel gave her a head’s up. It was the first she’d heard about it. She described him as a diplomatic leader.

“He’s somebody who works very hard to come to a consensus. He likes cooperative building and that seems to probably be his gift,” she said. “He’s very good at bringing all people to the table.”

Pushing orders and managing by dictate isn’t his style.

Vague’s first term on the school board coincided with Troxel’s first year as superintendent.

Vague said that, with Troxel leaving, the board will begin a search process, advertising the position and soliciting applicants. She said her preference would be for someone without too steep of a learning curve.

“Ideally, we’d like to have somebody familiar with the school district and familiar with the landscape,” she said.

Attempts to reach Troxel Friday and Monday failed. District Spokeswoman Catherine Esary referred inquiries to him.

On the district’s Web page, Troxel’s biography says he started his career as an English teacher in Montana 29 years ago. He came to the Mat-Su Borough School District in 1990, working as principal in elementary, middle and high schools and as Assistant Superintendent of Education.

His tenure as superintendent began July 1, 2007.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.