Boots Thanks
Dear Editor: The Running of the Boots was almost legal this year – 20 years old! It was a record turnout with 104 entries – about half of those were groups – and hundreds of spectators. The Alaska Cruise Line Association and the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce provided us with terrific tents that kept us dry and captured the groovin’ tunes of the Sitka Blues Band.
Russell’s was joined by Honeywell and Norcross Distributing to offer a total of eight new pairs of Xtratuf boots as prizes. Kids loved the toys provided by Ben Franklin and True Value Hardware, books from Old Harbor Books and neat gear from Murray Pacific. Kids also appreciated Ben’s Root Beer from Baranof Island Brewery, gift certificates from Highliner Coffee and a cool bike light from Yellow Jersey Bike Shop. Adults and families won a Wildlife Tour from Allen Marine, gift certificates from AC Lakeside, Sea Mart, Westmark Sitka, Totem Square Inn and Subway. Other stalwart Sitkans won gardening gear from Spenard Builders Supply, black cod from the F/V Coral Lee and original art from Sea Dreams.
Mt. Edgecumbe students Hannah Kimber, Jeffrey Moore (and two other young women who volunteered at the last minute) registered all the runners with great precision and downright glee. Volunteers Kathy Kyle and Sherie Mayo teamed up with the Sitka Police Department to keep the runners on track, literally.
Perhaps the hardest task, of judging the outrageous entries, was performed by Sheila Finkinbinder, Michele Putz and Perry Edwards. KIFW, KCAW, the Sitka Soup and the Sitka Sentinel went over the top to publicize the event. Next year we will be legal (21), but we promise to continue to be wacky and never really grow up.
Gunalchéesh, everyone.
Kerry MacLane,
Sitka Local Foods Network
Caroline’s Carts
Dear Editor: As a Girl Scout troop leader I have been privileged to watch many young, shy girls grow into motivated, caring young ladies and never has it been more apparent than watching my scouts Allison and Ari work on their Silver Award, the highest award they can earn at their age.
These Scouts spent many, many hours researching, planning and fundraising to purchase Caroline’s Carts (specially designed carts for special-needs individuals) for our local grocery stores. As a troop leader and parent I would like to thank the community members who helped them reach their goal by bringing your children to our events, getting your car washed, purchasing cookies, and making donations. Thank you to Sea Mart and AC Lakeside for enthusiastically accepting the carts for your customers!
We would like to thank Dave and Bridget from SAIL (Southeast Alaska Independent Living) for working with the girls to learn about disabilities and for helping with their disability awareness event last Saturday. Your support was invaluable and very much appreciated.
The girls wanted to send a huge thank you to the following individuals and businesses who made generous donations to the project: Robert Dennard, Bruce Belley, John Flory, Alaska Computer Center, ALPS Federal Credit Union, Arrowhead Transfer, Baranof Chiropractic, Davis Realty, First Bank, Foreign Auto, Harry Race, Junk Trunk, Murray Pacific, North Pacific Seafoods, O’Neill Surveying and Engineering, Pizza Express, Schmolck Mechanical, Sitka Bazaar, Sitka Bottling Company, Sitka Ready Mix, Sitka Vision Clinic, Venneberg Insurance and Welcome Home Vacations. Samson Tug and Barge graciously donated the shipping from Seattle.
Again, thank you to everyone who supports Girl Scouts in Sitka. Your support is critical to helping us work on the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.
Retha Winger, Allison Winger
and Ariana Strickland-Neal,
Girl Scout Troop 4140
School Report Card
Dear Editor: Here is a link to the SHS report card from the state: http://www.eed.state.ak.us/reportcardtothepublic/Report/2012-2013/42.
I have three kids in Sitka School District and am a big fan of the teachers. My kids are very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from fine teachers in a community that places a high value on teaching and on learning.
Two problems jump off the page of the report card:
1. Native students are graduating at a much lower rate and dropping out at a higher rate than other students.
2. Economically disadvantaged students are graduating at a much lower rate and dropping out at a higher rate than students from economically more secure families.
I know that the district is working with Sitka Tribes and is making strong efforts on the first problem. However, there is an emphasis on analyzing the family and placing the blame there. This can have limited productivity. Families cannot change quickly and furthermore, it is the duty of the school to effective teach the students in the condition they happen to be in, when they walk in the door. A better solution is to make teaching responsive to Native students. Have we asked them how they feel about their experience? Why are we disciplining them more often and more harshly than we discipline other students? I keep meeting highly successful, creative and intellectually powerful Native people who went through our school district. Have we asked them what we can do? Culturally responsive curriculum and teaching need more of our attention.
Economically disadvantaged students tend to overlap with ethnic and cultural groups. We have an economy that bears the stamp of preference for the dominant culture. That is a problem too big for the school district. Again, being responsive to the kids, rather than wringing our hands about their situation, is the most promising avenue. Much is being done. Need breakfast? We provide it. Need sleep? Perhaps we can adjust the hours. Don’t have money for books or a good home study environment? Not so sure.
Perhaps, change classroom structure to get the work and reading done at school in a less top-down arrangement. This is being modeled at Keet, a very fine and effective school with a great rating. Perhaps we need to do more of what Keet does at the middle school level. Middle school tends to teach in a more rigid manner, abandoning the fluidity and adaptations that elementary schools have mastered.
Our schools deserve our applause and admiration. I urge the community to support and to fund continued efforts to deal with the two problem areas identified in the state report card. They are big problems, requiring a systemic and strategic program of improvement.
Thanks for thinking about this.
John Welsh, Sitka
