FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson) 

New RFP Sought For Managing PAC
27 Mar 2024 14:48

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]

Seiners Get Second Day with 2 Areas to Fish
27 Mar 2024 14:46

By Sentinel Staff
    The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]

Braves Take Second in Last Minute Upset
27 Mar 2024 12:41

By GARLAND KENNEDY
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    After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]

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27 Mar 2024 12:39

By Sentinel Staff
    The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]

Kodiak Alutiiq Museum Getting New Attention
27 Mar 2024 12:37

By SHIRLEY SNEVE
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House Hearing on Inmate Deaths Halted
27 Mar 2024 12:35

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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Nominee to Bering Sea Council: Not a Trawler
27 Mar 2024 12:34

By NATHANIEL HERZ
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March 27, 2024, Police Blotter
27 Mar 2024 12:26

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]

March 27, 2024, Community Happenings
27 Mar 2024 12:25

Big Rigs Sought
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Reassessments Raise Tax Bills for Sitkans
26 Mar 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
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Two Areas Opened in Herring Fishery Today
26 Mar 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff
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Lady Wolves Rally to Take Fourth at State
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Edgecumbe Girls Close Out Season Up North
26 Mar 2024 14:58

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    Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]

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26 Mar 2024 14:55

By Sentinel Staff
    Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]

House Votes to Broaden Rules For Review Panel Memb...
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26 Mar 2024 14:51

By NATHANIEL HERZ
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Faster Internet Speeds In Rural Schools OK'd
26 Mar 2024 13:53

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Native Words Gathered In Environment Studies
26 Mar 2024 13:52

By YERETH ROSEN
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March 26, 2024, Police Blotter
26 Mar 2024 13:49

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]

March 26, 2024, Community Happenings
26 Mar 2024 13:48

Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m.  [ ... ]

Sac Roe Herring Fishery Opens in Hayward
25 Mar 2024 15:30

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]

Projects on the Table For Cruise Tax Funds
25 Mar 2024 15:28

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
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Braves Take Second at State after Close Loss
25 Mar 2024 15:23

By Sentinel Staff
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25 Mar 2024 15:11

By Sentinel Staff
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Daily Sitka Sentinel

Criminal Charges Lead to Review of Bus Policy

    The arrest of a young man last week who was alleged to have sexually abused a child on a school bus has raised a few questions about the school district’s ridership policies, district officials said.
    The abuse reportedly occurred on an elementary school bus, where an older student had taken the elementary kids’ bus in order to arrive at school early.
    School Superintendent Steve Bradshaw said since the young man was charged, the superintendent’s office has received a few questions about the district’s busing practices, namely of allowing younger and older kids to ride the same bus.
    He and Gene Prewitt, owner of Island Bus Company, said around the country it is not unusual to have students of all ages riding the same bus, particularly in rural areas.
    However, they said, in Sitka schools open at different times so older and younger students take separate buses.
    “We do have a policy in general that the kids ride the buses they’re supposed to, unless there are special needs.” Prewitt said.
    There are exceptions to this, Bradshaw and Prewitt said. Sometimes a child will miss his or her own bus and flag down any passing bus for a ride into town, or a student needs to get to school early. The student who is either younger or older than the group on the bus generally sits near the driver, Bradshaw said.
    “It’s always been an assumption, that when we have kids riding with younger kids they’re separated,” Bradshaw said. “We always wanted the different age kids riding with the bus driver where we could keep an eye on them. Most of our drivers are aware of keeping the kids separated.”
    There has been no written policy to this effect, Bradshaw said, and problems have been rare related to buses.
    “In my 14 years I’ve been here, I could count the number of bus issues we’ve had on one hand,” the superintendent said. “That’s not to say bad behaviors don’t happen.”
    Prewitt’s records go back further. Island Bus Co. has been the school district’s transportation contractor since 1964, with the exception of five years, and said the policy and practices have worked well. Bradshaw agreed.
    “They’ve done a super job for this community,” Bradshaw said.
    Bradshaw said he and school board members will talk about whether a new written and formal policy is needed for ridership, but the superintendent questioned whether this will be an improvement.
    Last Friday, Bradshaw met with Prewitt and made an additional request that on the K-5 buses, and the grade 6-12 buses, the older kids sit in the back, and younger kids in the front.
    Elementary school children this week reported one bus driver lined the kids up by age before allowing them to board, or asked them to raise their hands by grade, to make sure they were sitting with others close to their grade.
    And on the continued rare occasions that a middle or high school age kid is on an elementary bus, the older student will be asked to sit near the driver. The same goes with an elementary school student on a grade 6-12 bus, Bradshaw said.
    “When you look at how all the years we’ve been doing this and you don’t have problems,” Bradshaw said. “I understand that one situation is one too many. A little common sense on the bus and the problem is taken care of. ... We can’t write a policy that will cover every situation – the more detailed you become, the more difficult it is to understand what your policies are.”
    Alexander Pitkaphillip Evans, 18, was indicted Feb. 17 by a grand jury on one count of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree, and four counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree. He is being held on $100,000 bail. An omnibus hearing is set for March 7.
    Evans entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment. He is being represented by the public defender.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....

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