By: Mike Glesinger Panhandle Post
Alliance High School Activities Director Anita James, will be stepping down from her position at the end of the school year, but won't be moving very far. The Alliance Public Schools Board of Education officially approved Ms. James changing positions from Activities Director to High School Assistant Principal beginning in the 2023-24 school year.
Anita is a native of Lexington, Ne and has been with the Alliance Public School system for the past 15 years. She began as a Physical Education teacher and Coach at Alliance Middle School, eventually taking over as Middle School AD after 6 years, while continuing to teach and coach. In 2017, she became the High School Activities Director and doing some Assistant Principal duties as well. Anita will take over for Tera Digman, who resigned, to take a Principal position at Hay Springs Schools.
In an email to Panhandle Post, Anita stated..."I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing teachers, coaches, students, and community members here in Alliance and look forward to continuing to do that in my new role! Some of the memories I have while being the activities director will last me a lifetime, so will the relationships I've built with the people and students I have worked with. I couldn't have done my job without the support of our coaches, administrators, and others. I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve as the Activities director these past 6 years. It has taught me a lot and I've got to see our students and our coaches do some pretty amazing things, and I'm excited to continue to be an Alliance Bulldog and see that success of our students, but will just be in a different role!"
The APS Board also approved the hiring of former Alliance High School Teacher and Coach Michael Baker, to take over as Activities Director next school year. Baker was a teacher and coach in Alliance for 22 years, serving as boys head basketball coach two different times, before leaving at the end of last year to take a position as head boys basketball coach at the new Lincoln Northwest High school. Baker is a native of Harrison, Ne and has coached at Atwood, Ks and Wheeler Central schools before coming to Alliance in 2000. He lead Alliance to 3 State Tournament appearances as Boys Basketball Coach.