Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District communications blog/Screenshot
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District communications blog/Screenshot
A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska.

City, borough and school board seats up for grabs

The candidate filing period for people interested in running for seats open in the Oct. 5 municipal election closed Monday.

A “Vote Here” sign is seen at the City of Kenai building on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska.
Darion and Karl Nusunginya get their photo taken before their first day of first grade at Sterling Elementary School on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Darion and Karl Nusunginya get their photo taken before their first day of first grade at Sterling Elementary School on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Annaleah Karron leads a session during an in-service at Skyview Middle School on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Teachers build bridges to develop skills

Educators gathered to lay the foundation for a year of inter-school collaboration.

Annaleah Karron leads a session during an in-service at Skyview Middle School on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will offer a districtwide 100% Remote Learning option during the 2021-2022 school year. (Image via the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District communications blog)

School district offers updated remote learning options

Students learning 100% remotely will not be allowed to return to in-person learning outside of the transfer dates outlined.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will offer a districtwide 100% Remote Learning option during the 2021-2022 school year. (Image via the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District communications blog)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Communications Director Pegge Erkeneff (left) and Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland stand in Holland’s office in the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Friday, Aug. 13 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

No mask mandate, but rules abound

Quarantine, vaccination status and testing part of school district’s layered COVID mitigation plan.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Communications Director Pegge Erkeneff (left) and Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland stand in Holland’s office in the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Friday, Aug. 13 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland

Voices of the Peninsula: Superintendent’s Welcome

Our district is very excited to have all of our students, staff, and parents back in school after a tumultuous few years.

KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland
Officer Victor Dillon speaks with KPBSD Director of Secondary Education Tony Graham at the George A. Navarre Borough Admin building on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voices of the Peninsula: A letter to the superintendent, school board

Make the wearing of masks part of the dress code for all of our schools in our district until we can get the virus under control.

Officer Victor Dillon speaks with KPBSD Director of Secondary Education Tony Graham at the George A. Navarre Borough Admin building on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Borough sales tax revenue higher than anticipated

The borough said it planned conservatively in anticipation of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
Nathan Erfurth speaks before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, July 12, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Nathan Erfurth speaks before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, July 12, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Parent Nicole Darwin testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. Darwin testified in opposition to universal masking. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Parent Nicole Darwin testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. Darwin testified in opposition to universal masking. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Joanne Jenkins distributes backpacks and school supplies to a line of cars at the Peninsula Community Health Services KidFest event on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

KidFest distributes back-to-school supplies

Different colored backpacks were stocked with basic school supplies.

Joanne Jenkins distributes backpacks and school supplies to a line of cars at the Peninsula Community Health Services KidFest event on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Voters fill out ballots in voting booths at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Voters fill out ballots in voting booths at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meet on March 2, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board grades its performance

An anonymous survey including six board members assigned letter grades between “A” and “F” to the board’s actions in the last year

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meet on March 2, 2021, at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (CDC)

School district receives CDC grant for COVID testing

The $1.3 million awarded to the district through the grant is in addition to a third round of ESSER funds.

COVID-19. (CDC)
Supplies for sanitizing areas are seen inside of a classroom at Kenai Middle School on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Supplies for sanitizing areas are seen inside of a classroom at Kenai Middle School on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Selma Casagranda, a recent Seward High School graduate and lifelong resident of Seward, stands in front of her former school on May 25, 2021. (Young Kim for The Hechinger Report)
Selma Casagranda, a recent Seward High School graduate and lifelong resident of Seward, stands in front of her former school on May 25, 2021. (Young Kim for The Hechinger Report)
Resurrection Bay is photographed from Seward, Alaska, in March, 2018. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward foreign exchange program to be held virtually

In a typical year, a maximum of four students are selected for the program and go to Japan for 10 days.

Resurrection Bay is photographed from Seward, Alaska, in March, 2018. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Krista Schooley (left) testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Board of Education on Monday, June 7, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Screenshot)

A ‘groundswell’: Conservative coalition seeks to expand influence on school policy

The vision of KPCCC is to “restructure and build the foundation of the 7 Mountains of Influence in our society through conservative action.”

Krista Schooley (left) testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Board of Education on Monday, June 7, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Screenshot)
Soldotna assistant football coach Eric Pomerleau checks the temperature of sophomore Joseph Whittom before summer workouts Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Masks optional for KPBSD staff, students effective next week

The policy change is in response to updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Soldotna assistant football coach Eric Pomerleau checks the temperature of sophomore Joseph Whittom before summer workouts Wednesday, June 17, 2020, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)