Schools

Sayéik: Gastineau Community School, seen in this May 4, 2020, photo, has a new interim principal, Juneau School District announced Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Interim principal named for Sayéik: Gastineau Community School

Sayéik: Gastineau Community School has a new interim principal, Juneau School District announced. Stacy Diouf will be the interim principal for the 2020-21 school year,… Continue reading

Sayéik: Gastineau Community School, seen in this May 4, 2020, photo, has a new interim principal, Juneau School District announced Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Juneau School District will restart at a distance

All schools will begin Aug. 24.

The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Sticking the landing: Schools ready for start of strange school year

Sticking the landing: Schools ready for start of strange school year

The future is fluxing furiously.

Sticking the landing: Schools ready for start of strange school year
The Juneau Board of Education met July 14, 2020 to discuss plans for the upcoming school year. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

School board approves mask policy, later start date

The school board also confirmed Dr. Bridget Weiss for another three years.

The Juneau Board of Education met July 14, 2020 to discuss plans for the upcoming school year. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
This July 2019 photo shows some of over 2,000 backpacks that were given away to students throughout Southeast Alaska through Tlingit and Haida’s Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Department. This year in order to help accommodate virtual learning, when backpacks are distributed, they will come with Google Chromebooks. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Back to school backpack program goes high tech

The program has adapted to distanced learning as coronavirus shows no signs of slowing.

This July 2019 photo shows some of over 2,000 backpacks that were given away to students throughout Southeast Alaska through Tlingit and Haida’s Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Department. This year in order to help accommodate virtual learning, when backpacks are distributed, they will come with Google Chromebooks. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
The Juneau School District is evaluating its strategy for beginning the school year in seven weeks as the coronavirus continues to be present in Alaska and the United States. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

District’s plan for approaching school year comes into focus

Seven weeks is a long time in coronavirus-time.

The Juneau School District is evaluating its strategy for beginning the school year in seven weeks as the coronavirus continues to be present in Alaska and the United States. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
Dzantiki Heeni Middle School principal Molly Yerkes was named Region 5 Principal of the Year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals for 2020. (Courtesy photo | Molly Yerkes)

Look who was named region’s principal of the year

She’s been at the middle school for 16 years now.

Dzantiki Heeni Middle School principal Molly Yerkes was named Region 5 Principal of the Year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals for 2020. (Courtesy photo | Molly Yerkes)
Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire File School districts throughout the state will put together plans for what the next school year will look like. Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weisse said smaller groups and less mixing are expected to remain important.

Juneau School District readies for summer assignment

Districts will plan for how to safely continue education.

Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire File School districts throughout the state will put together plans for what the next school year will look like. Juneau School District Superintendent Bridget Weisse said smaller groups and less mixing are expected to remain important.
First Student employees and Juneau School District food services supervisor Adrianne Schwartz, left, carry student meals off the bus they’re being distributed from near Juneau-Douglas High School:Yadaa.at Kalé, March 16, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

School year meal program switching to summer mode

They served more than 60,000 meals in two months.

First Student employees and Juneau School District food services supervisor Adrianne Schwartz, left, carry student meals off the bus they’re being distributed from near Juneau-Douglas High School:Yadaa.at Kalé, March 16, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Mary Lou King shows children an example of Juneau’s ecosystem as part of Sea Week, now celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Juneau School District. (Courtesy Photo | Peggy Cowan)

Sea Week celebrates 50th anniversary in unorthodox fashion

Family-oriented learned will lead this spring.

Mary Lou King shows children an example of Juneau’s ecosystem as part of Sea Week, now celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Juneau School District. (Courtesy Photo | Peggy Cowan)
The Downtown Juneau Library, April 7, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Juneau board has no plans to follow Mat-Su’s lead on banned books

Stricken authors include Maya Angelou and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Downtown Juneau Library, April 7, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Charter school helps students stay connected amid distance

Teachers work with students and families to support each other.

The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School assistant principal Kristy Germain has been selected as the interim principal for Floyd Dryden Middle School for the 2020-2021 school year. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)

Interim principal selected for Floyd Dryden

She’s a Juneau native and a veteran of the school district.

Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School assistant principal Kristy Germain has been selected as the interim principal for Floyd Dryden Middle School for the 2020-2021 school year. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire File)
A meal distribution point in front of Riverbend Elementary School, April 7, 2020. (MIchael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Juneau schools continue, expand student meal program

The district has served more than 16,000 meals in the last month.

A meal distribution point in front of Riverbend Elementary School, April 7, 2020. (MIchael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Courtesy photo | Katy Martin Katy Martin, seen here teaching at Riverbend Elementary School, is a former Riverbend teacher filling in to teach fifth-graders here remotely from Virginia.

Teaching (very) remotely: Former Juneau teacher lends a hand from Virginia

Unsettled times lead to a unique opportunity for teacher.

Courtesy photo | Katy Martin Katy Martin, seen here teaching at Riverbend Elementary School, is a former Riverbend teacher filling in to teach fifth-graders here remotely from Virginia.
Materials for remote learning are stacked outside Auke Bay Elementary School. (Courtesy photo | Juneau School District)

Juneau schools pivot to deal with new teaching environment

Teaching remotely is a whole different animal from teaching in person.

Materials for remote learning are stacked outside Auke Bay Elementary School. (Courtesy photo | Juneau School District)
The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

Making do with less: school budget down $2.4M from last year

The budget is stretched tighter and tighter.

The Juneau School District building, March 20, 2020. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)
Sayeik: Gastineau Community School was closed Friday, March 13, over COVID-19 concerns after a student was tested for “multiple viruses,” according to the Juneau School District and City and Borough of Juneau.(Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)

Elementary school closed over virus concerns

The results of the testing have not been released.

Sayeik: Gastineau Community School was closed Friday, March 13, over COVID-19 concerns after a student was tested for “multiple viruses,” according to the Juneau School District and City and Borough of Juneau.(Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas High School students wait for rides home school on Feb. 4, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

University of Alaska, Juneau School District brace for coronavirus

JSD’s tiered approach will reduce risk, superintendent says

Juneau-Douglas High School students wait for rides home school on Feb. 4, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Auke Bay Elementary School principal Nancy Peel introduces Angie Wright, center, who received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, alongside Superintendent Dr. Bridget Weiss, during a Juneau School District Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)

School board recognizes outstanding teachers, old and new

The school board and members of the Legislature came together to thank some outstanding educators.

Auke Bay Elementary School principal Nancy Peel introduces Angie Wright, center, who received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, alongside Superintendent Dr. Bridget Weiss, during a Juneau School District Board of Education meeting Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)