Education

A pie chart shows Kenai Peninsula Borough School District expenditures by object for the current fiscal year. (Chart via KPBSD)

Explanation of how KPBSD organizes funds caps ‘Budget 101’ series

Finance Director Elizabeth Hayes delivered the presentation to school board members during a Monday work session

A pie chart shows Kenai Peninsula Borough School District expenditures by object for the current fiscal year. (Chart via KPBSD)
From left: Rep. Ben Carpenter, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman and Rep. Justin Ruffridge discuss their priorities regarding education during a work session with members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School funding, accountability dominate school board work session with lawmakers

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Rep. Ben Carpenter and Rep. Justin Ruffridge joined the board for a work session in Soldotna

From left: Rep. Ben Carpenter, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman and Rep. Justin Ruffridge discuss their priorities regarding education during a work session with members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna High School senior Josiah Burton testifies in opposition to the proposed cut of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District theater technicians while audience members look on during a board of education meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board finance group reviews expenditures ahead of upcoming budget cycle

As the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District prepares to grapple with another $13 million deficit for the upcoming budget cycle, members of the school board… Continue reading

Soldotna High School senior Josiah Burton testifies in opposition to the proposed cut of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District theater technicians while audience members look on during a board of education meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Amanda Adams leads a session during an in-service at Skyview Middle School on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board briefed on role of AI in education

While there may be consequences to further incorporating AI use in schools, there may also be consequences for not doing so

Amanda Adams leads a session during an in-service at Skyview Middle School on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Graphic via health.alaska.gov

School board briefed on e-cigarette use by SoHi assistant principal

Results from the 2019 Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that one in four students said they currently used an electronic vaping product

Graphic via health.alaska.gov
Hope School K-5 teacher Jeremy McKibben assists third grade students with reading skills part of CKLA’s “How Does Your Body Work?” unit on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Hope, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

From Hope to Homer, KPBSD adjusts to Alaska Reads Act

Implementing the standards outlined by the legislation is not a one-size-fits-all approach

Hope School K-5 teacher Jeremy McKibben assists third grade students with reading skills part of CKLA’s “How Does Your Body Work?” unit on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Hope, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
An arch marks the entrance to the Church of St. Nicholas on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023 in Nikolaevsk, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board rejects Nikolaevsk charter school application

Charter organizers say they plan to appeal that decision to the State of Alaska

An arch marks the entrance to the Church of St. Nicholas on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023 in Nikolaevsk, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Jacquelynn Tomrdle, left, and Nicole Murphy, right, present on behalf of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Students in Transition program at the Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors award ceremony at Kenai Catering on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

2 KPBSD staff appointed to state homeless education group

The state group is tasked with reviewing and updating Alaska’s McKinney-Vento policies and procedures

Jacquelynn Tomrdle, left, and Nicole Murphy, right, present on behalf of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Students in Transition program at the Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors award ceremony at Kenai Catering on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Jessie Soyangco, right, leads a class of kindergarteners in dancing to a remix of the “Little Einstein’s” theme song at Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science in Kenai on Thursday.

Dance, dance diamonds

Diamond Dance Project co-director Jessie Soyangco is in-residence at Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science this week and next

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Jessie Soyangco, right, leads a class of kindergarteners in dancing to a remix of the “Little Einstein’s” theme song at Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science in Kenai on Thursday.
Brochures advertise information about the Safe School Helpline near the entrance to Hope School on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2023, in Hope, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School district launches anonymous helpline

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District staff, students and community members can anonymously report concerns affecting district schools

Brochures advertise information about the Safe School Helpline near the entrance to Hope School on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2023, in Hope, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Laura Burke speaks during a community conversation on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Home-school meeting draws dozens

The event was hosted by the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Laura Burke speaks during a community conversation on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes, left, testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly during a budget work session on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough, school district present local funding process

The presentation was the second as part of KPBSD’s “Budget 101”

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes, left, testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly during a budget work session on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board Member Debbie Cary speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Cary also served on the borough’s reapportionment board. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board president receives award for meritorious service

Debbie Cary, of Ninilchik, is the Alaska Superintendent Association’s 2024 recipient of the Don MacKinnon Excellence in Education Award

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board Member Debbie Cary speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Cary also served on the borough’s reapportionment board. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lyndsey Bertoldo, Penny Vadla and Jason Tauriainen participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

School board candidates tackle budget deficits, home-schooling, school maintenance

The discussion was the first of two forums featuring KPBSD school board candidates

Lyndsey Bertoldo, Penny Vadla and Jason Tauriainen participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna elementary reconstruction cost grows to $35 million

The project initially carried a $21.5 million price tag

Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD to use grant funds for elementary counselor positions

The district budgeted about $626,000 for elementary school counselors for the current fiscal year

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula College Main Entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Open house to kick off KPC semester

Classes start for the fall semester at Kenai Peninsula College on Aug. 28

The Kenai Peninsula College Main Entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Druce returns as head of teachers union

The special election followed the firing of former president Nathan Erfurth, who was arrested in May on charges of sexual abuse of a minor

LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mountain View Elementary School students use their hands to build works using methodology from the University of Florida Literacy Institute during a board of education meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

New reading curriculum to cover Alaska history, culture instead of religion

The change comes after some teachers and community members questioned whether some of the proposed topics, specifically Judaism, Christianity and Islam, were age-appropriate

Mountain View Elementary School students use their hands to build works using methodology from the University of Florida Literacy Institute during a board of education meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula residents protest trans girls in sports at state school board meeting

The Alaska Board of Education last week met at the George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building in Soldotna

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)