Education

Recent high school graduates from throughout Alaska are working closely with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski through the summer internship program, which lasts until August 4 and exposes the interns to the day-to-day life in a senator’s office. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office)

Young Alaskans shadow Murkowski on Capitol Hill

From the outside, Capitol Hill seems like a hectic place this summer, but a group of ten recent Alaska high school graduates are experiencing it… Continue reading

Recent high school graduates from throughout Alaska are working closely with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski through the summer internship program, which lasts until August 4 and exposes the interns to the day-to-day life in a senator’s office. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office)

District hires 12 teachers

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is moving forward with hiring 12 of 30 open positions for the 2017-2018 school year after the Kenai Borough… Continue reading

Brian Tye Kuhr, 14 of Kasilof, maneuvers his drone at UP STREAM Academy, a week-long program aimed to provide a STEM camp for Title VI Students in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Thursday, June 1, 2017. The academy was held at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Alaska Native students go UP STREAM

From Nanwalek to Kenai, 36 Alaska Native students from across the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District were brought together at the Challenger Learning Center of… Continue reading

Brian Tye Kuhr, 14 of Kasilof, maneuvers his drone at UP STREAM Academy, a week-long program aimed to provide a STEM camp for Title VI Students in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Thursday, June 1, 2017. The academy was held at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
A Connections Home School graduate sports a decorated cap at her graduation ceremony Thursday at the Soldotna High School auditorium. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Connections celebrates graduates

The Soldotna High School auditorium was filled with graduates who have never walked a hall together, but who celebrated their graduation from Connections Home School… Continue reading

A Connections Home School graduate sports a decorated cap at her graduation ceremony Thursday at the Soldotna High School auditorium. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
Flanked by his past portraits, River City Academy graduate Morgan Shepherd speaks to his eleven peers in River City’s class of 2017 during the school’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. All the graduates gave speeches at the ceremony, introduced by principal Dawn Edwards-Smith, who compared each one to a literary or cinematic hero.

River City grads reminisce

Each of the 10 River City Academy graduates present in the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex for the school’s Wednesday graduation ceremony gave a short speech… Continue reading

Flanked by his past portraits, River City Academy graduate Morgan Shepherd speaks to his eleven peers in River City’s class of 2017 during the school’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. All the graduates gave speeches at the ceremony, introduced by principal Dawn Edwards-Smith, who compared each one to a literary or cinematic hero.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members took a ride on one of the district’s new buses from Seward High School to Seward Middle School on Monday, May 1, 2017 in Seward, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

District’s new buses begin to arrive

The first wave of Apple Bus Company buses have arrived on the Kenai Peninsula. The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will begin its 10-year contract… Continue reading

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members took a ride on one of the district’s new buses from Seward High School to Seward Middle School on Monday, May 1, 2017 in Seward, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
Callie Giordano, a teacher at Mountain View Elementary, participated in a rally on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at the corner of Swires Road and the Kenai Spur Highway to support fully funding education. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Mountain View Teachers gather to support status-quo funding

In lieu of a walk out, a group of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District teachers and their supporters held a “walk-in” rally on Tuesday morning… Continue reading

Callie Giordano, a teacher at Mountain View Elementary, participated in a rally on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at the corner of Swires Road and the Kenai Spur Highway to support fully funding education. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
Connor McKamy, a graduate of the Kenai Peninsula College’s welding program, shows fourth-graders from Mountain View Elementary an example of the work he does. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Fourth-grade going on Freshman

Here is what fourth-graders know about college. “College helps you get a better job,” “there’s a lot of knowledge there and you can make things”… Continue reading

Connor McKamy, a graduate of the Kenai Peninsula College’s welding program, shows fourth-graders from Mountain View Elementary an example of the work he does. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
Bobbie Larrivee, a special education teacher at West Homer High School, waits to receive a certificate honoring her as one of the 2017 BP Teachers of Excellence at an awards banquet Thursday, April 27, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. BP recognized five teachers from around the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District for excellence in teaching with certificates, $500 gift cards and $500 donations to their schools. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

BP honors Kenai Peninsula teachers

Five teachers from Kenai Peninsula Borough School District were honored Thursday at the annual BP Teachers of Excellence awards banquet. Stephanie Cronin of Seward High… Continue reading

Bobbie Larrivee, a special education teacher at West Homer High School, waits to receive a certificate honoring her as one of the 2017 BP Teachers of Excellence at an awards banquet Thursday, April 27, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. BP recognized five teachers from around the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District for excellence in teaching with certificates, $500 gift cards and $500 donations to their schools. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Sherly Carroll, left, and Guangyuan Ding received a scholarship honoring the legacy of ESL teacher Kathryn Christopherson. Both were honored on April 27, 2017 at Kenai Peninsula College. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

ESL students earn memorial scholarship

Two students at Kenai Peninsula College will continue their education while honoring a late English as a Second Language instructor with the Kathryn Christopherson Memorial… Continue reading

Sherly Carroll, left, and Guangyuan Ding received a scholarship honoring the legacy of ESL teacher Kathryn Christopherson. Both were honored on April 27, 2017 at Kenai Peninsula College. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD holds back on open positions

On the surface, it looks like the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District isn’t hiring, but uncertainty surrounding next year’s budget has the district posting positions… Continue reading

Project GRAD continues student support

Since 2003, Project GRAD has worked to impact a generational change by working with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, finding a variety of successes… Continue reading

Bill would end Alaska Performance Scholarship

The Alaska Senate Finance committee heard a trio of bills aimed at bridging the achievement gap and improving education in the face of the budget… Continue reading

School district, Habitat for Humanity forge partnership

Students on the Kenai Peninsula will get a shot at some hands-on learning as soon as this summer, courtesy of a partnership between the Kenai… Continue reading

Senate transforms Education Transformation Act

The Senate Finance Committee heard Senate Bill 96 on Thursday morning with a changes to a controversial section that called for the consolidation of schools… Continue reading

Jed Davis of Adrianne Bosic's class at Nikiski North Star Elementary recited his speech on Bob Ross, host of "The Joy of Painting," at the school's wax museum on Thursday, March 30. Davis sported Ross' signature hair and his pet, Peapod the Pocket Squirrel. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Move over, Madame Tussauds

Students at Nikiski North Star Elementary took a page from Madame Tussaud’s playbook on Thursday when they hosted their own wax museum highlighting important figures… Continue reading

Jed Davis of Adrianne Bosic's class at Nikiski North Star Elementary recited his speech on Bob Ross, host of "The Joy of Painting," at the school's wax museum on Thursday, March 30. Davis sported Ross' signature hair and his pet, Peapod the Pocket Squirrel. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Education bill to be amended following testimony

A section of Senate Bill 96 calling for the consolidation of schools at less than 80 percent capacity that are located within 25-miles of each… Continue reading

Kenai Middle students take part in MathCounts

“Yu has 12 coins, consisting of five pennies, four nickels and three dimes. He tosses them all in the air. What is the probability that… Continue reading

KPBSD faces budget deficits, dropping enrollment

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education sought to explain why district costs continue to rise, even though student enrollment has dropped, to… Continue reading

School district shares quarterly report with borough assembly

Superintendent Sean Dusek presented the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District quarterly report to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday night, highlighting KPBSD’s successes and… Continue reading