Cass Pook
Age: 57
How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? 45
Occupation: Health Educator
Current community involvement:
Prevention services with youth
Previous government or other relevant experience:
AASB
Why are you running for the Sitka School Board this year?
Involvement in Education, 17 years school board service experience and 4 years of Alaska Association of School Board of Directors member in Alaska
What are your top priorities if elected?
Sustaining what we have and try to avoid teacher cuts in budget.
Budget
Many feel that the struggle between the governor and the legislature over education funding this year foreshadows much worse to come next year. How will you respond if the district is once again faced with having to lay off several (or more) tenured teaching staff?
Lobby to maintain our funding and collaboration in the community.
Philosophy
For many years the Sitka School District has followed a “whole child” philosophy, educating students as broadly as possible in academics, vocational ed, the arts, and sports. Is this still a realistic — and affordable — objective?
It is not realistic but we have a community that cares about education that does cost sharing well.
Enrollment
Enrollment has been trending down in Sitka’s schools for almost two decades. While this is not exclusively a district problem, what should the district do to help arrest or reverse the trend.
Work together as a team, positive communication when deciding what our top priorities are.
Advocacy
School board members have become Sitka’s primary advocates for schools, in both city hall and in the legislature. Do you see yourself serving in this capacity? Do you see yourself being effective?
Yes. Yes. We need to take youth to lobby with us. That is who the house representatives and Senators want to hear from and it is effective.
