‘CTHS Project Aims to Improve Housing Options for Rural Alaska Educators’ by Principal Jason Ross

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Mat-Su Career and Technical High School (CTHS) began a new project during the 2024-2025 school year to improve housing options for educators in rural Alaska. This project has been made possible through partnerships with the State of Alaska, 62 Degrees North Customs, MSBSD Facilities Department, MassX, and Cruz Construction.

Trish Zugg, the MSBSD Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Administrator, secured a grant from DEED to help construct a pole barn at CTHS that allows the building pathway students and instructors to work on the housing units throughout the school year. MSBSD Facilities worked collaboratively with MassX Construction to develop a gravel pad for the pole barn to be built on. A business partnership with Cruz Construction provided transportation for the connex shipping containers and an agricultural tent from Seward to CTHS. The pole barn was constructed by CTHS staff and the MSBSD Facilities Department under the guidance of Cruz Construction. Continue reading ‘CTHS Project Aims to Improve Housing Options for Rural Alaska Educators’ by Principal Jason Ross

‘Chevak’s Long-Term Investment in Growing Staff from the Community’ by Superintendent Jeanne Campbell

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“My hope is that their accomplishments will inspire the youth to follow them into education careers.”

In July of 2006 I disembarked from a seven-seat airplane with my dog onto a short runway which is now called the old airport in Chevak, Alaska. People hustled about, laughing, chatting, picking up and dropping off items and people. Being from Pennsylvania, I was enthralled by the whole experience and left speechless until approached by a woman who introduced herself as Lillian Olson. “Are you a new teacher?” she asked. “Let me direct you.” Like the old airport moved to the other side of the village as a new airport, Lillian Olson has moved from Executive Secretary (24 years) to teacher (9 years) to Chevak School’s first Cup’ik Principal in FY25. Continue reading ‘Chevak’s Long-Term Investment in Growing Staff from the Community’ by Superintendent Jeanne Campbell

‘New Book Focuses On the Importance of Leadership in Rural Alaska Schools’ By Chris Wilkens

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[Wilkens, C., Littlebear, J., & Thompson, R. (2025) Rural School Leadership: Lessons from Alaska. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.]
On January 17th, Rowman & Littlefield will publish Rural School Leadership: Lessons from Alaska, a book written by and for school leaders in rural Alaska. Continue reading ‘New Book Focuses On the Importance of Leadership in Rural Alaska Schools’ By Chris Wilkens

‘An Ambitious Update to BSSD’s Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum’ By Attasiaq Otton

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Recognizing the urgent need for culturally relevant and modern teaching resources, the Bering Strait School District (BSSD) has launched an ambitious project to develop a curriculum that meets the needs of today’s students while preserving Native languages. The BSSD Bilingual/Bicultural Department includes 24 cultural teachers across 15 schools and three Native languages: Akuzipik, Yupik, and Inupiaq. Akuzipik teachers currently rely on an outdated curriculum designed for students who spoke Akuzipik exclusively at home—a situation that no longer reflects reality. Other cultural teachers lack adequate training to use the outdated curriculum, often creating materials by hand each week with limited resources. The last updated bilingual/bicultural curriculum dates back to 1992. Continue reading ‘An Ambitious Update to BSSD’s Bilingual/Bicultural Curriculum’ By Attasiaq Otton

‘Valdez High School Celebrates Native Alaska / Native American Heritage Month’ By Pamela Verfaillie

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On November 15th, the Valdez High School Library, in partnership with the Valdez Museum and Historical Archive and local Alaska Native elders and cultural ambassadors, hosted an Alaska Native Culture Appreciation Day to celebrate Native American / Native Alaskan Heritage Month. VHS Library Associate, Pamela Verfaillie, approached her principal, Peter Baksis, with the idea and was told “sure – go for it. I’ll support you.” So she did.

One Gilson Middle School student claimed this was “the best class I have ever taken”.

Continue reading ‘Valdez High School Celebrates Native Alaska / Native American Heritage Month’ By Pamela Verfaillie

‘ASD Student Art Takes Center Stage in Public Art Galleries’ by Leah Maltbie

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After many years of showcasing artwork for Youth Art Month at the 5th Avenue Mall on temporary display panels, an idea emerged to have a permanent student art display in the mall. This was forged from a partnership between Simon Holdings (5th Avenue Mall management) and the Anchorage School District. The mall has provided a space that has been unoccupied for years, next to JCPenney on the first floor, as an in-kind donation, making this a win-win for both the mall and school district. It was during our first installation in the new space for Youth Art Month that the name for the space was suggested. The MK Student Art Gallery is named after Mary Kaye Denkewalter, a long-time former art teacher in the Anchorage School District who passed away a few years back.  Continue reading ‘ASD Student Art Takes Center Stage in Public Art Galleries’ by Leah Maltbie

‘Nikolski School Reopens After 14 Years!’ by Superintendent Mike Hanley

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After 14 years of having our school closed in Nikolski, The Aleutian Region School District is really excited about once again having enough children in the community to re-open. Nikolski is located on the western tip of Umnak Island just west of Unalaska. It is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the world dating back 8,500 years.

In October of last year, the community let the district know of their desire to get a school back in place and their willingness to do whatever was necessary to help make that a reality. They have been great partners in the effort by providing teacher housing as well as the community center to work as the school building. Without the passion and commitment of the community, there would have been no way we could have put everything in place so quickly. Continue reading ‘Nikolski School Reopens After 14 Years!’ by Superintendent Mike Hanley

‘Teach, Nourish, Heal, and Connect: Transforming and Revitalizing Filipino Identity in Alaska’ by Alma Manabat Parker

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“It was the perfect fusion of movement, identity, language revitalization, play, and the arts – this work is transformative.” – Rachel Lucy

This statement was written in a letter of nomination for the Governor’s Arts & Humanities Awards 2024. It was submitted by my colleague who was able to witness me during a cultural enrichment session at one of Ketchikan’s elementary schools. My work as the Health Equity Director with the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition has allowed me to incorporate culture in our outreach efforts to improve overall health and wellness for the Filipino community; we feel culture is medicine. Continue reading ‘Teach, Nourish, Heal, and Connect: Transforming and Revitalizing Filipino Identity in Alaska’ by Alma Manabat Parker

‘Nome-Beltz Middle High School Celebrates Indigenous People’s Day, Highlighting A Local Civil Rights Hero’ by Rosa Wright and Sam Jordan

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On a snowy October 15th, 2024, afternoon, students at Nome-Beltz Middle High School filed into the school gym, gathering to collectively celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. The assembly brought together students and community members to share stories, give advice, and empower Nome Nanook youth. 

Continue reading ‘Nome-Beltz Middle High School Celebrates Indigenous People’s Day, Highlighting A Local Civil Rights Hero’ by Rosa Wright and Sam Jordan