The Sitka School Board heard an argument against relocating the public seaplane base to north Japonski Island, when it met in regular session on October 6.
The board also heard an argument in favor of setting policy around the wearing of cultural regalia at graduation, and said farewell to member Eric VanCise, who is stepping down after six years of service on the board.
Raven’s Way opposes proposed location for seaplane base
Relocating the Sitka seaplane base is an infrastructure project that takes years to develop, because of the inter-agency cooperation required to make it happen.
Most recently, the state Department of Education on September 30 formally authorized conveying just over two acres of state-owned waterfront to the city for construction of the base, opening a public comment and appeal process.
Because Sitka’s current public floatplane dock is in bad shape, there has been general support for the construction of the new base, and a revitalization of this transportation sector in Sitka.
But the location came under scrutiny during a meeting of the Sitka School Board on October 6. Annette Becker is the director of Raven’s Way, the next-door-neighbor of the proposed base at the end of Seward Avenue.
“The proposed location is directly next to one of the Sitka School District classrooms that provide academic instruction to approximately 40 to 55 at risk youth each year,” Becker said. “SEARHC and the Sitka School District have a long standing MOU. Raven’s Way has a school, a full-time teacher, and all of the students that are enrolled are enrolled in the Sitka school district and earn school credit while receiving substance abuse treatment. This program provides a safe environment where you will have the opportunity to practice and integrate healthy life skills in a supportive setting. Raven’s Way is a healing place for youth who are unable to control their use of illegal drugs. Many youth are enrolled in the Ravens Way program are experiencing trauma, have difficulty managing strong emotions or failing in school and have gotten into trouble with the law.”
Becker was concerned that the increase in floatplane traffic would have a harmful effect on students in the Ravens Way program. She said that a plan approved by the Sitka Assembly anticipated about 21 one-way flights daily from the new base; during peak season that could increase to 136 flights per day.
Becker spoke during persons to be heard, so the board was not permitted to respond directly to her concerns. During board member reports, however, member Blossom Teal-Olsen said that she thought placement of the seaplane base was a “growing concern” in the community.
Board to consider a policy for wearing regalia at graduation
Sitka district superintendent Frank Hauser brought forward an idea for the board to consider by the end of the current academic year: Setting policy around the wearing of cultural regalia at graduation. Hauser said that his previous school district in Anchorage had an established regalia policy.
“I fully support a graduation regalia policy an SSD that provides for students wearing traditional tribal regalia or objects of cultural significance at graduation ceremonies. I do not believe the students should be required to wear a cap if it’s incompatible with the regalia or significant object. I also do not support any type of approval process like some other districts have to the rally process. For me, a graduation day is a day to celebrate our students and honor their achievements. And being able to have students wearing traditional trouble regalia objects, cultural significance, also, I think, celebrates and recognizes them as well.”
The board agreed to refer the matter to the policy committee following the swearing in of new board members next week.
VanCise departs after six years of service
And finally, the school board said goodbye to its longest-serving member, Eric VanCise, who has completed six years on the board.
Former board president Elias Erickson crashed the meeting to express his gratitude to VanCise.
“When I think about your time on the board, and just characteristics of who you are,” said Erickson. “I just think integrity is a huge one. And I think you are someone who is willing to make sacrifices and not ever expect anything in return. And I would say when it comes to a publicly-elected official, those are two qualities that are highly desirable and very good. They’re they’re rare; they’re rare in people. And it just, I think that my time that I shared with you, all those hours of conversations not a minute was wasted.
Eric VanCise recounted some of the events of his tenure, including dispelling notions that the district was somehow teaching Sharia Law, and the budget meetings that brought over 100 people into the high school library to speak in support of the Performing Arts Center.
VanCise cautioned that there more choppy waters ahead, as K-12 education reassessed its responsibilities toward equity and social justice, civil rights, and women’s health.
“And you wonder, well, these are adult things, we’re a school district, but this is what our students are walking into,” he said. “And this is what maybe is going on in their homes. So it’s, we have a lot of work, and there’s a lot of things on the horizon, but just do what you guys do. Look at it objectively. Leave your politics, leave your, your faith — I don’t mean that in a bad way — but leave it out in the parking lot and come in here and seek neutral ground and compromise and do your best. Just right now, unlike any time that I can recall in our country, we have extreme polarization going on. And when you have extreme polarization, you have paralyzation.”
VanCise will remain on the board through 5 p.m. Friday, October 15, when newly-elected member Todd Gebler is sworn in to replace him. Incumbent board president Amy Morrison will take the oath at the same time, to begin her second three-year term.
