Empire’s live coverage<\/a> of the meeting here]<\/ins><\/p>\nAssembly member Maria Gladziszewski said the city was hoping the state would step up, “but at a certain point you have to stop waiting.”<\/p>\n
Holst told the Assembly the list of capital improvement projects had been drafted in consultation with the Juneau School District and the city Department of Engineering which assessed the needs of the buildings.<\/p>\n
The School Board also walked Assembly members through its list of priorities for the 2019-2020 school year. Among the priorities were reading at grade level by 3rd grade, enhancing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Tlingit language integration and kindergarten readiness as well as improved high school offerings through collaboration between high schools.<\/p>\n
When the time came for Assembly members to put forward ideas of what they’d like to see the school district pursue in the coming years, Assembly member Wade Bryson brought up increasing the level of vocational classes like woodworking or metal shop.<\/p>\n
Bryson also suggested what he jokingly referred to as “adulting classes,” or classes which taught students practical skills like cooking or accounting.<\/p>\n
“It’s fine to teach somebody French,” he said, “but how do they monetize that down the road?”<\/p>\n
School board member Emil Mackey said that vocational classes, while a good idea, were some of the most expensive classes per student to provide.<\/p>\n
While most of the Assembly took a generally favorable view of vocational and STEM focused classes, some felt the need to speak in defense of the Liberal Arts.<\/p>\n
“If we really want to create critical thinkers,” Assembly member Carole Triem said, “we need to be teaching history and philosophy as well.”<\/p>\n
Her sentiment was echoed by Michelle Bonnet Hale, who joined the meeting via phone. Reading and writing skills were just as essential skills for life as any STEM classes, she said.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Contact reporter Peter Segall at 523-2228 or psegall@juneauempire.com.<\/b><\/p>\n
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