Nanwalek School

History: Nanwalek School, formerly known as English Bay School, was built in 1958 and renovated in 1984. Two additional classrooms were added in 2002 in a remodel project to increase classroom space. The school is over-capacity, with about 63 students in a building constructed to house 50 students.

Nanwalek is on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, 10 miles southwest of Seldovia and west of Port Graham and across Kachemak Bay from Homer.

The school is accessible only by air or water from major communities on the Kenai Peninsula.

Contact information

Principal-teacher

Darrell Johnston

djohnston@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Secretary Nancy Radtke

nradtke@kpbsd.k12.ak.us

Mail-phone:

P.O. Box 8007

Nanwalek, AK 99603

281-2210 (phone)

281-2211 (fax)

Web:

www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/nanwalek/

Demographics: The students at Nanwalek are primarily Native Alaskan (95 percent), with a 5 percent minority of Caucasian students. About 17 percent of the students are limited English speakers, and all students take classes to learn Native language. About 88 percent of the students come from economically disadvantaged homes, and 20 percent experience disabilities.

Staffing: The school staffs four full-time teaching positions, a quarter-time special education teacher and 1.32 special education aide positions. There is a part-time nurse, a nearly full-time aide position, a half-time secretary and a half-time custodian.

Teachers at the school have a combined average of four years experience with the district.

AYP: Nanwalek School did not meet adequate yearly progress in the 2002-03 school year, with the school as a whole, the Native Alaskan population and the economically disadvantaged subgroup of students scoring low on language tests. The school missed AYP again in 2003-04 due to the same low proficiency rates.

Cocurricular: Nanwalek operates a small intramural sports program and participates in some academic competitions. A large number of upper-grade students participate in Native Youth Olympics and other Native sports competitions. The school mascot is the Eagles.

Registration: Students may register from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 16.

Transportation: There is no bus service in the small village.

School hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.