In many small Alaska towns, schools are the backbone of the community. They educate youth as well as bring residents together for events. But with changing times, comes changing needs in the way we approach learning. In CoastAlaska’s news series, “Evolving Education,” reporters take a deeper look at what learning means today in our coastal towns.
Sitka’s elementary schools made the Alaska Reads Act work last year. Now they’d like the funding to keep it working – KCAW
In Sitka, the results from the first year of the state education initiative program, Alaska Reads, were extraordinary. But this year is more of a struggle, as the state grant funding to support the program has mostly dried up, and positions once funded by the program have been cut or reassigned.
Students and teachers report a sharp decline in support for non-native English speakers in Ketchikan schools— KRBD
As flat funding continues to impact schools across the state, one demographic in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District may be getting hit especially hard – the large number of students who don’t speak English as their first language. Many current and former school district staff have been raising the alarm about what they say is a severe and concerning decline in resources for these students.
Skagway School credits community, teachers and a unique testing culture for its high test scores – KHNS
Skagway School District contains just one school, a one-story building with students from preschool to twelfth grade. It serves the families of the Southeast Alaska community that’s approximately 20 miles from the Canadian border. For the 13th year in a row, Skagway’s school district had the highest state scores in all assessed areas, according to administrators. KHNS reporter Melinda Munson interviewed school staff to get a better understanding of what makes this rural Alaskan school flourish academically.
In Wrangell, police and educators look to make students safer from school shootings – KSTK
School safety has been top of mind for a lot of school districts in recent years. Even though school shootings happen every year in the Lower 48, gun violence also happens in rural Alaska. And the state knows that – they require mandatory safety drills every month at public schools. KSTK’s Colette Czarnecki talked with Wrangell schools to see how they’re starting to improve keeping kids safe on their remote island.
As Alaska schools close, one Aleutian village bucks the trend – KUCB
While Alaskan schools are closing their doors, one remote Aleutian community is flipping the script.
For the first time in over a decade, children in Nikolski are back in the classroom.
A community’s fight to save Unangam Tunuu on St. Paul Island– KUHB/KUCB
In the remote, Bering Sea island community of St. Paul, educators and community members are working to preserve Unangam Tunuu, the traditional language of the Unangax people. But even as students learn to speak their ancestors’ tongue, the language faces an uncertain future.
In Southeast Alaska, travel for school activities can be a nightmare, but it’s worth it- KFSK
In remote Southeast Alaska, travel for school activities can be a logistical nightmare. But studies show it’s worth it – activities are good for kids academically, physically, and emotionally. Petersburg’s activities director agrees. This fall he spent long days working to bring seven teams to town for a high school volleyball conference.