Category: Uncategorized

‘YKSD Creates Place-Based Math Task Database’ by Bobbi Jo Erb

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“…the Alaska Cultural and Alaska Mathematics Standards combine to create relevant, engaging, and rigorous math learning.”

How long does traveling from Allakaket to Hughes by snow-go vs. boat take? Why is the distance traveled different for these two situations? How much further to go by boat? These are the types of questions Yukon Koyukuk School District (YKSD) students will tackle in math classes as teachers begin using the YKSD Place-based Math Task database. YKSD educators developed this database during spring break Place-based Math workshops. Continue reading ‘YKSD Creates Place-Based Math Task Database’ by Bobbi Jo Erb

‘The Our Alaskan Schools Blog Wraps Up its 6th Year’ by Sam Jordan

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The ‘Our Alaskan Schools’ blog is wrapping up its 6th year, sharing 25 diverse and captivating stories from Alaska’s public schools. If you missed some, here are highlights from our most popular posts. Continue reading ‘The Our Alaskan Schools Blog Wraps Up its 6th Year’ by Sam Jordan

‘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

‘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

“Shining a Light on Story: Teacher Tales Amplifies the Voices of Educators of Every Variety” by Sarah Cronick

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“It was a marvelously bright spring day- a perfect day to take my 8th graders on a bike ride along our city’s outstanding greenbelt. The trails were finally free of the sloshy slush and we were a week away from their graduation. What could be better than soaking up our final days together than hopping on our bikes and letting that fresh Alaskan spring breeze hit our skin as we meander the rolling hills to the song of babbling brooks nearby? Of course, I should’ve known that we wouldn’t be the only ones delighted to be out and about…” 

Teacher Tales shares stories. Stories of educators of every variety, in and out of the classroom, at various points along their journey. It is an opportunity to hear from the teachers themselves about what teaching is really like. The moments that make us laugh, the ones that make us cringe, the ones that make us cry.  Continue reading “Shining a Light on Story: Teacher Tales Amplifies the Voices of Educators of Every Variety” by Sarah Cronick

‘Cultural Week at Kingikmiut School in Wales’ by Amber “Attasiaq” Otton

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In the Bering Strait School District (BSSD), fifty-four students from Wales, Golovin and Teller participated in a Cultural Week at Kingikmiut School in Wales, Alaska. This was the first time these small schools teamed up for this particular event, and it was a huge success. Continue reading ‘Cultural Week at Kingikmiut School in Wales’ by Amber “Attasiaq” Otton

‘Alaska Superintendent Cohort Completes National Certification’ by Sam Jordan

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Superintendents Scott MacManus, Kerry Boyd and Pat Manning pose with fellow Superintendent and cohort mentor Dr. Bridget Weiss.

This past February four long-time Alaskan school Superintendents celebrated their graduation from the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program. The AASA is the premier national association for school system leaders and serves as a leading national voice for public education and district leadership.

The opportunity to participate in the certification program came as part of their district’s participation in a federal grant called Increasing Performance and Retention in Alaska’s Rural Schools (IPRARS), which is administered by the Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA). Continue reading ‘Alaska Superintendent Cohort Completes National Certification’ by Sam Jordan

‘Haa Tóo Yéi Yatee Haa Yoo X̱ʼatángi: Our Language is Inside Us – Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) Resilience Project’ by JAMM Staff

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Student participants and Athabascan songster Yuxgitsiy George Holly developing songs for the JAMM resilience project.

Juneau Alaska Music Matters‘ (JAMM) resilience project is a series of two Língit songs, Daaḵ Nadéin (“the tide is coming in”) and Yánde Kg̱waláa (“the tide is going to go out”), inspired by conversations with Língit elders and JAMM students. These songs are presented in a music video project that brought together students, staff, musicians, dancers, and elders, showing the rich diversity of Juneauʼs culture and showcasing efforts of multiple organizations in Southeast Alaska to revitalize the Língit language before it is lost forever. This project was filmed both at JAMM school sites and throughout Juneau, home of the Áak’w Kwáan  people. Continue reading ‘Haa Tóo Yéi Yatee Haa Yoo X̱ʼatángi: Our Language is Inside Us – Juneau Alaska Music Matters (JAMM) Resilience Project’ by JAMM Staff

‘Slow Looking’ by Nancy Lehnhart at Juneau School District

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In my work as the Elementary Visual Art Specialist for the Juneau School District I have for years puzzled about art being an avenue for complex thinking for students. For the last six years, I’ve been very involved with a grant-funded PD project in the Juneau School District called Artful Teaching. We have a large cohort of teachers learning together through workshops and small collegiate study groups called “Art Labs.” We are exploring arts integration and culturally responsive teaching. One of the areas of learning for us has been through Project Zero Harvard and their Visible Thinking routines and practices. I’m experimenting all the time now with how to deepen thinking through art. The following shares a project around students’ school environments. 

Continue reading ‘Slow Looking’ by Nancy Lehnhart at Juneau School District