Schools

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Bridget Weiss, superintendent of the Juneau School District, speaks during a rally seeking an increase in public school funding Jan. 23 at the Alaska State Capitol. Weiss, who is stepping down as superintendent June 30, is scheduled to take on a broader statewide role as the new liaison for the University of Alaska College of Education Consortium starting July 1.

Weiss tapped to be first-ever liaison for UA program that recruits, trains teachers

It’s a new role for the departing Juneau superintendent.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Bridget Weiss, superintendent of the Juneau School District, speaks during a rally seeking an increase in public school funding Jan. 23 at the Alaska State Capitol. Weiss, who is stepping down as superintendent June 30, is scheduled to take on a broader statewide role as the new liaison for the University of Alaska College of Education Consortium starting July 1.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Nick Nelson passes out paper copies of a notice of appeal to school board members Tuesday night regarding the district’s decision on a racism complaint at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé he filed in early December.

Douglas Indian Association condemns district’s handling of racist insults complaint

Members “demand accountability,” say inaction could affect tribal consultations with the district.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Nick Nelson passes out paper copies of a notice of appeal to school board members Tuesday night regarding the district’s decision on a racism complaint at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé he filed in early December.
Two students face off for a match at the 2020 Southeast Alaska Middle School Wrestling Championship at Floyd Dryden Middle School on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. The Juneau School District Board of Education on Tuesday accepted a donation that will provide the middle school with a new wrestling mat. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Floyd Dryden Middle School wrestling gets a surprise donation

The school received a donation of up to $15,000 to pay for a new wrestling mat.

Two students face off for a match at the 2020 Southeast Alaska Middle School Wrestling Championship at Floyd Dryden Middle School on Friday, Feb. 14, 2020. The Juneau School District Board of Education on Tuesday accepted a donation that will provide the middle school with a new wrestling mat. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
At the Tuesday night Juneau School District board of education meeting, board member Amber Frommherz listens to Superintendent Bridget Weiss, who is also the acting director of student services, share a report that revealed the Juneau School District has seen a 59% increase in the number of students experiencing homelessness this year compared to this time last year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Report: Juneau schools see sharp uptick in students experiencing homelessness

The district saw a 59% increase compared to this time last year.

At the Tuesday night Juneau School District board of education meeting, board member Amber Frommherz listens to Superintendent Bridget Weiss, who is also the acting director of student services, share a report that revealed the Juneau School District has seen a 59% increase in the number of students experiencing homelessness this year compared to this time last year. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Juneau School District’s recently announced its new directors of teaching and learning support and student services who are set to start in their positions in July. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

District selects new directors for teaching and learning support and student services

The new directors will take over their roles in the district in July.

The Juneau School District’s recently announced its new directors of teaching and learning support and student services who are set to start in their positions in July. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau School District’s recently announced the new principals for Juneau Community Charter School and Mendenhall River Community School who are set to start in their positions this fall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

District selects new principals for Juneau Community Charter and Mendenhall River Community School

The new school heads will join the district in the coming academic year in the fall

The Juneau School District’s recently announced the new principals for Juneau Community Charter School and Mendenhall River Community School who are set to start in their positions this fall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
A student holds a sign during a rally at the steps of the Alaska State Capitol Monday evening in advocacy for an increase in the state’s flat funding via the Base Student Allocation. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau teachers and supporters rally for an increase in state funding for education

“We need a substantially increased BSA and we need it now.”

A student holds a sign during a rally at the steps of the Alaska State Capitol Monday evening in advocacy for an increase in the state’s flat funding via the Base Student Allocation. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
At its Tuesday night meeting the Juneau Board of Education OK’d a series of budget revisions that will balance the district’s operating fund deficit of over $620,000 along with its $63,000 deficit in total governmental funds it owes to the city. Members say it does not fix the district’s structural issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

School Board addresses deficits, members say the fix is a ‘Band-Aid’

The board OKs plan to ask Assembly for $2.5M in additional out-of-cap funding

At its Tuesday night meeting the Juneau Board of Education OK’d a series of budget revisions that will balance the district’s operating fund deficit of over $620,000 along with its $63,000 deficit in total governmental funds it owes to the city. Members say it does not fix the district’s structural issues. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Seven months after a June 2022 incident in which a dozen students and two adults drank chemical floor sealant served as milk during a Juneau School District summer program, the District Board of Education on Tuesday night narrowly voted against moving forward with a third-party investigation of the district’s emergency notification and public communication. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

School board nixes plans for ‘milk’ incident investigation

In narrow vote, members cited past investigations, fiscal impact as reasons for not moving forward.

Seven months after a June 2022 incident in which a dozen students and two adults drank chemical floor sealant served as milk during a Juneau School District summer program, the District Board of Education on Tuesday night narrowly voted against moving forward with a third-party investigation of the district’s emergency notification and public communication. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Outgoing Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss smiles during a school board meeting in early December. Tuesday afternoon, the Board of Education approved a contract to search for her replacement. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

District moves forward with firm for superintendent search

The contract is set to begin on Jan. 1 and will run through June. 30

Outgoing Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weiss smiles during a school board meeting in early December. Tuesday afternoon, the Board of Education approved a contract to search for her replacement. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy Photo / JR Ancheta, UAF Matthew Wooller kneels in the mammoth tusk collection at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in 2021. Wooller is leading the museum’s Adopt a Mammoth program, which will date and identify specimens at the museum.

UAF partners with Alaska students for a mammoth of a project

“De-extinction” company adopts fossils for Alaska school districts.

Courtesy Photo / JR Ancheta, UAF Matthew Wooller kneels in the mammoth tusk collection at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in 2021. Wooller is leading the museum’s Adopt a Mammoth program, which will date and identify specimens at the museum.
Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorensen and Vice President Emil Mackey discuss ‘milk’ incident investigation bid and extending food vendor’s contract with board members Tuesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

District discusses ‘milk’ incident investigation bid, extends food vendor’s contract

Juneau School Board discusses third-party bid, allows NANA to serve food for six more months

Juneau School Board President Deedie Sorensen and Vice President Emil Mackey discuss ‘milk’ incident investigation bid and extending food vendor’s contract with board members Tuesday evening. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Surrounded by other supporters, Jess Cobley, Juneau Education Association middle school representative at large, speaks to the Juneau District School board about the current status of the contract negotiation cycle between the pair at the board’s Tuesday evening meeting at Thunder Mountain High School.(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘How dare you?’: Teachers union rebuffs contract proposal during meeting

This follows an impasse declared by JEA a week earlier.

Surrounded by other supporters, Jess Cobley, Juneau Education Association middle school representative at large, speaks to the Juneau District School board about the current status of the contract negotiation cycle between the pair at the board’s Tuesday evening meeting at Thunder Mountain High School.(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Teachers and school board members talk during the Juneau Board of Education and Juneau Education Association’s annual meet and greet in mid November. JEA contract negotiation team declared impasse last Friday and are in the process of filing for federal mediation.

Juneau teachers union declares impasse amid drawn-out negotiations

Still, the teachers union and district express optimism about working toward agreement.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Teachers and school board members talk during the Juneau Board of Education and Juneau Education Association’s annual meet and greet in mid November. JEA contract negotiation team declared impasse last Friday and are in the process of filing for federal mediation.
An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Audit shows ‘deeply concerning’ deficit for school district

Independent report says failure to follow policy contributed to negative balance.

An independent third-party audit found Juneau School District spent at a deficit of over $620,000, in the past fiscal year and failed to adhere to district policies that could have lessened the total. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
AK STAR testing results and materials are displayed on a table at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District office on Monday in Soldotna.. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Statewide test scores ‘unacceptable’

Educators blame COVID and cash, not kids.

AK STAR testing results and materials are displayed on a table at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District office on Monday in Soldotna.. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Juneau Education Association president Chris Heidemann talks during the Juneau Board of Education and JEA’s annual meet and greet Tuesday night. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

School board and teachers union confront ‘disconnect’ and district financial deadlock

“There’s no happiness anywhere in this.”

Juneau Education Association president Chris Heidemann talks during the Juneau Board of Education and JEA’s annual meet and greet Tuesday night. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Maxine Petersen, 8, stands with her parents Carl Petersen and Samantha Jenkins to accept the Alaska 529 annual $25K Giveaway at Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen Elementary on Thursday. Maxine is the first recipient to receive the scholarship within Southeast. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Juneau third grader receives $25,000 scholarship

She’s the first Southeast Alaska recipient of the Alaska 529 scholarship

Maxine Petersen, 8, stands with her parents Carl Petersen and Samantha Jenkins to accept the Alaska 529 annual $25K Giveaway at Kax̱dig̱oowu Héen Elementary on Thursday. Maxine is the first recipient to receive the scholarship within Southeast. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Tuesday night at the Juneau School District school board meeting Superintendent Bridgette Weiss presented her formal letter of retirement from her position, prompting the members to give the OK to start the process of finding someone to fill the position come July 1, 2023. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

Weiss is resigning as Juneau School District superintendent — what’s next?

District begins the process of filling the position by July.

Tuesday night at the Juneau School District school board meeting Superintendent Bridgette Weiss presented her formal letter of retirement from her position, prompting the members to give the OK to start the process of finding someone to fill the position come July 1, 2023. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
KinderReady Preschool students from Harborview Elementary frolic in a pile of dried leaves at Evergreen Cemetery on Tuesday. The leaf jump is an annual event organized by Linda Torgerson and has been happening in Juneau for around 25 years. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Piles of fun: Juneau students partake in annual leaf jump

Cannonball!

KinderReady Preschool students from Harborview Elementary frolic in a pile of dried leaves at Evergreen Cemetery on Tuesday. The leaf jump is an annual event organized by Linda Torgerson and has been happening in Juneau for around 25 years. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)