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)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
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By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
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A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
School Board Trims Budget to $19.7M
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka School Board gave unanimous approval to a $19.7 million budget Monday night that includes $250,000 in cuts and the elimination of two positions.
School Board members said they were not happy with the prospect of eliminating programs but felt they needed to be responsible with this year’s budget and prepared for difficult years ahead.
“It’s obviously not an easy decision to make because we’re losing programs important to students, and it will have an impact,” Jennifer Robinson said. But she added that the school district is looking at little to no increase in funding from the state and city, and needs to be responsible with the budget. “We knew this was coming: this wasn’t a surprise. We’ve gotten lucky ... but next year is going to be harder.”
“I feel like our hands are tied,” Tonia Rioux agreed. She said the district must prepare a budget that anticipates additional expenses in the near future for a new curriculum and the new statewide teacher evaluation program.
Superintendent Steve Bradshaw said it was important to not just fund this year’s budget but to look ahead.
“It’s better to make a tough choice now than to have to make a bunch of tough choices next year,” he said. “On top of that, no one loses their job.”
The budget work sheet presented to the five board members at the hour-long meeting showed possible cuts of one of three reading specialists at Baranof Elementary School; and the combined Spanish-home economics position. A few other positions will be shuffled around, using grant funding to cover staff positions and free up the funds for other purposes.
The budget assumes the city will receive $500,000 in Secure Rural Schools funds, and an increase of between $300,000 and $500,000 from the state, depending on whether the House or Senate school funding bill passes. The school district will draw down reserves by $400,000 to fund the budget, leaving about $1.2 million in the fund balance.
The district expects to receive $6.3 million from the city, which includes a half of the $380,000 increase in city revenues through the seasonal sales tax. Voters last fall approved a ballot question authorizing an extension of the seasonal sales tax to pay for school bond debt. The measure makes about $380,000 more per year available in the city general fund, and Assembly members have said they are amenable to splitting it with the school district.
Most of the funding for the school district comes from the state. District staff expects that figure will be around $13.3 million this year. They had to make an estimate because the Legislature, which is already running overtime from its statutory adjournment date, has not yet adopted a school funding bill.
Other School Board members’ comments on Monday were similar to Robinson’s: that while they didn’t want to cut valuable programs that engage students – and more money may be coming in from higher-than-expected enrollment – they felt they needed to take a conservative approach for this year and in preparation for years ahead.
“I don’t like the fact we have to do this,” board President Lon Garrison said. “It feels like we’re going in the wrong direction. But we have to look at all of the bits we have to work on and what our future looks like.”
He said the School Board needs to budget for the new state curriculum, and professional development, and that the district in the end does not know what will happen with funding from the state.
“I’ve never seen a Legislature this unpredictable than the one we have now,” Garrison said. “We’re going to come out OK for the year, but beyond that, it’s pretty difficult.”
Funding to the district from the state will increase this year, depending on whether the House or Senate version is approved. Another unknown is enrollment: Sitka is predicting a decline in enrollment by 38 from this year’s 1,338 in the fiscal year 2015 budget, but board members ruled out adding the cut positions back into the budget if enrollment is higher than expected. Funding from the state is known after the count period in October.
School Board members said any unexpected funds will be needed for other purposes – such as the new curriculum and teacher evaluation program – or regular classroom teachers to keep the pupil-teacher ratios down. Garrison said the district is not reducing the number of classroom teachers in the proposed cuts.
“We’re not taking teachers out of the classroom,” he said. “To me that’s a top priority. Other districts are not as lucky. ... I think this is a conservative approach.”
Tim Fulton and Cass Pook said they didn’t want to cut programs that serve to keep kids in school. Pook asked whether it would be possible to restore the programs.
There were no comments from the public, but a few board members said they would be interested in continuing the conversation about making education funding a priority in the community.
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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 .....