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Juneau School District leaders hold up signs for subgroups they are leading during a Community Budget Input Session at Thunder Mountain High School on Wednesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Cost-cutting school consolidation options concerning to teachers, parents and students

Participants in first community budget meeting worry big changes will have wide-ranging impacts.

Juneau School District Superintendent Frank Hauser, left, provides an update about the district’s financial situation to Juneau Assembly members and administrative leaders on Monday night at City Hall. A joint meeting of the Assembly and Juneau Board of Education to discuss possible solutions to the district’s financial crisis is scheduled Tuesday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Assembly gets first look at $8M school district deficit they are being asked to help solve

Follow-up meeting of Assembly and school board Tuesday to consider sharing costs, other options.

Members of the Juneau Assembly and Juneau Board of Education, along with top administrators for the city and school district, meet jointly to discuss the district’s financial crisis on Tuesday night at City Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

City leaders say they’ll help school district solve financial crisis, but express anger at situation

Loan and taking over millions in service costs proposed — which could result in a mill rate increase.

(City and Borough of Juneau photo)

Opinion

My Turn: When chickens come home to roost at the Juneau School District

On Tuesday I zoomed in to the Juneau School Board work session about our local school district’s recently…

Leaders at the Juneau School District learned during the past week the district is facing a $9.5 million deficit during the current fiscal year that ends June 30. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

State agrees to five-year repayment plan for Juneau School District’s $9.5 million deficit

District was facing a June 30 deadline to balance books, which local officials said wasn’t feasible.

A sign with newly installed reflectors warns drivers on Back Loop Road about pedestrians crossing near the entrance of Mendenhall River Community School on Wednesday morning. A woman and two kids were hit by a vehicle on the road Dec. 7, prompting local school district officials to seek safety improvements from the state. Additional short- and long-term safety measures are still being discussed. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Back Loop Road near school where pedestrians hit gets some safety improvements, more being discussed

Sign reflectors installed, upgraded entrance lighting and change to city bus route expected soon.

The Juneau School District is facing a deficit of more than $9.5 million for the current fiscal year, according a district report published Jan. 5. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Juneau School District facing $9.5 million deficit this year, new analysis shows

Lower revenues and higher costs mean $7.6M shortfall for FY24, plus $1.9M deficit from FY23.

A school bus on Back Loop Road prepares to turn into the entrance to Mendenhall River Community School shortly before classes start on Wednesday morning. Juneau School District Superintendent Frank Hauser on Tuesday said he is asking state transportation officials to consider street lights and/or other safety improvements on the road following a collision last Thursday between a vehicle and three people walking to the school. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

School district asks state for safety improvements on Back Loop Road near school following collision

Superintendent says DOT safety engineer will discuss lights, crosswalk at local meeting in January.

Harborview Elementary School was briefly evacuated Friday after a bomb threat was received at midday, according to the Juneau Police Department. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

Harborview Elementary School briefly evacuated after bomb threat

Police say incident appears connected to other threats at Alaska schools in recent months.

A row of rainbow flags are displayed above the bookshelves in the teen room at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Schools, libraries get warning letters from state attorney general about youth content

Local officials say letters lack specifics, aren’t considering changes in policies.

A 15-year-old male student at Thunder Mountain High School was detained Tuesday for bringing a BB-style handgun into the building on Tuesday, according to officials. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

News

15-year-old student detained after bringing BB gun to Thunder Mountain High School, officials say

Quick intervention by principal prevented need for lockdown, according to police.

Thunder Mountain High School receives a five-year banner marking its successful participation in NOAA’s Ocean Guardian School Program on Wednesday, the first school in the state to reach the milestone. Teacher Kristen Wells, far left, and students Lucy Bennett and Steffanie Reynoso were presented with the banner by Kim Raum-Suryan, who coordinates the Ocean Guardian School Program in Alaska, Anne Marie Eich, assistant regional administrator of NOAA’s Protected Resources Division, and Michelle Trifari, an Alaska Sea Grant Fellow. (Meredith Jordan/ Juneau Empire)

News

Thunder Mountain High School gets NOAA Ocean Guardian 5-year banner

First school in the state to achieve conservation group milestone.

Photos by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire Alicia Bagoyo, right and her daughter, Madalyn, look for a pre-kindergarten backpack with assistance from staff member Julie James during the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s annual backpack distribution at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall on Saturday.

News

Annual backpack giveaway charges up students and parents

2,400 packs with features for all ages distributed by Tlingit and Haida throughout Southeast Alaska

A notice about the arrival of summer is posted outside the entrance to Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱ - Glacier Valley Elementary School. The school’s principal told the Juneau Board of Education last Tuesday there was a 55% “chronically absent” rate during the past school year. (Juneau Empire File)

News

A local principal says more than half the students were chronically absent. Is that cause for alarm?

District officials seek causes, solutions and context of absenteeism, which is also high nationally

A clock ticks away the seconds at Thunder Mountain High School on Tuesday night, where the Juneau Board of Education voted to table a proposal to shorten the school day for students by 30 minutes once a week to free up time for teachers to participate in training and other professional development activities. Some district officials opposed to the delay said it will in effect kill the proposal because the school board’s next scheduled meeting is in August, which will be too late to implement specific policy changes before the school year starts. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Shorter days for students tabled by school board

Proposal would cut 30 minutes once a week to allow teachers time for training and other activities

Photos by Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire Sayéik: Gastineau Community School students enjoy hands-on learning with mining for minerals with Hecla and Coeur Alaska Kensington Mine employees. The mining company was just one of many volunteer organizations that participated in a STEAM event held at the school. The event was held during school hours to maximize student involvement.

News

STEAM comes to Sayeik: Gastineau Community School

District’s first time hosting during school hours for more student involvement.

A car drives past a Juneau Education Association sign posted next to the North Douglas Highway in early May. On Friday the Juneau District Board of Education voted to accept a three-year contract agreement with Juneau Education Association, which OK’d the contract earlier in the week. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

School board accepts teachers union contract

Friday marked the end of over a year of drawn-out negotiations

A car drives past a Juneau Education Association sign posted next to the North Douglas Highway Thursday morning. On Tuesday members voted to accept a three-year contract agreement with Juneau School District. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Teachers union members narrowly OK school district contract

The school board will vote to ratify Friday afternoon.

Frank Hauser, who on Friday was selected by the Juneau School District Board of Education to be the district's next superintendent, addresses members of the Juneau School Board and attendees of a Tuesday evening forum at Thunder Mountain High School. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire File)

News

Longtime Alaska educator picked to be next Juneau superintendent

School board president gets the OK to negotiate 3-year contract with Frank Hauser.

This combination image shows Frank Hauser, Thom Peck and Carlee Simon, the three candidates who are currently being considered for the Juneau School District superintendent position. The district is expected to make a decision on Friday. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

News

Superintendent decision moved to Friday

Board meeting at noon via Zoom.