The Sitka School Board honored the service of teacher Kari Sagel at the start of its regular meeting Wednesday night (1-3-24).
Normally, a retirement ceremony happens at the end of the school year, and celebrates a handful of staff members leaving the district. But Sagel retired just this past November, and had the event to herself.
Sagel put in over 25 years working in Sitka’s schools, most memorably as the librarian at Blatchley Middle School.
In her remarks, Sagel urged the board to continue looking for ways to support teachers and to promote professional longevity.
“I’d like to thank the Sitka School District and the school board and the community of Sitka,” said Sagel. “It’s a pleasure to be retiring, or to have retired, and to have worked in a school district that does good work for its kids, that has a strong union, that has a good negotiated agreement. I’m fortunate that I’m retiring as Tier II, with 25 years, and I appreciate the work you do to ensure future school funding. And I hope you also have your eyes on ensuring defined benefits for the people coming after me, because it’s getting harder and harder to live in Sitka. And we need those dedicated teachers to stay for 20 years – 20 plus years – and I appreciate the work you do towards that. Thank you.”
In 2006, Alaska dropped its defined benefit retirement program for teachers in favor of a 401K-style savings plan. A December report from the Alaska Department of Labor suggests that the change has hurt teacher recruitment and retention across the state.
That was the extent of the politics Wednesday evening; everything else was gratitude for Sagel’s work in the classroom and beyond.
Lakota Harden stopped in to share an anecdote about a time she needed to create a special Christmas for 18 Mt. Edgecumbe High School students unable to return home for the holidays during the Covid pandemic.
“And I just thought of people, and you were the one of the ones I thought of,” said Harden. “And I just put the word out. And we put together 18 gift bag: We had fish, we had seaweed, we had cake, we had all kinds of things. We got enough money for gift cards. And the kids did say that was one of the best Christmases they had because of the community.”
Harden also described Sagel’s efforts to build bridges within the community – often in ways that don’t necessarily involve her work in the schools.
“You’re not afraid to be bold,” Harden said. “And I think that’s what it takes for a leader. And because of your leadership, a lot of things get done in all the different corners of what gets passed over sometimes, especially people where I come from. And I’m always trying to be that voice and be that representative and I have to push for that. And all I have to do is say something to you, and you take the idea and you run with it.”
After the event, Sagel told KCAW that she is holding off on making plans to strike off in a new direction in retirement, and will continue with several endeavors that she’s already involved with. “Basically,” she said, “I will be a woman about town!”
