Voices of Alaska Education
Our Mission: To advocate for children and youth by assisting school boards in providing
quality public education, focused on student achievement, through effective local governance.
Special Edition - April 13, 2020
To help keep you informed of rapidly changing new developments, special editions of Commentary will be published periodically through the end of the 2020 school year.
Norm Wooten
AASB Executive Director
We're Stronger Together
Last week the governor announced that schools will remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year and that several other health mandates would be extended. This news was disheartening for many educators, parents, and students who will miss participating in graduation ceremonies and other spring events and activities.
Sheltering in place in our homes can feel isolating, but it is having a positive effect on keeping the coronavirus at bay in communities across the state. During daily press briefings, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink continually reminds us that Alaska has both the lowest number of coronavirus cases, as well as the lowest number of cases per capita. Our collective social distancing is making a difference.

The governor also signed HB 205, the Operating Budget. Several education items were vetoed, with the caveat that the funding would be replaced with federal CARES Act funding. AASB began receiving questions from our members about whether replacing vetoed budget items was allowable under the criteria for funding received through the CARES Act. Questions centered upon whether the federal funding was intended to supplement funds received through the state budgeting process. 

During a press conference, the governor explained that replaced funds would be supplanted, rather than supplemented, which sparked concern among legislators. Through several sources, we were able to obtain clarification. 

Although education advocates testified against supplanting funds during the CARES Act debate, waivers were included in the bill language to allow setting aside “maintenance of effort’ In the CARES Act. There are also waivers for the same in ESSA. This seems to allow precisely what the governor did in replacing the vetoed items with federal CARES Act funding. 

I am inspired by the resourcefulness of districts, schools, educators, students, and parents in communities throughout Alaska, and all that you are accomplishing remotely. I encourage you to care for yourselves and your families. Keep active through walks and outdoor activities. Maintain social distancing and keep in touch with each other through technology. 

Together, we'll make it through these times. Thanks from all of us at AASB for your service to students across our state.

Norm
Timi Tullis, AASB
Associate Executive Director
AASB is OPEN FOR BUSINESS! 
In these different times we are thinking of things differently and how to serve our members the best we can. We are here to assist like we always have been, but things may look a little different for a while. 

We're adapting as quickly as possible to help your boards and are offering most of our board trainings as shortened digital versions.
This will allow boards to continue to learn and grow during this vitally important time. We are here to offer the following workshops with you and your boards:

  • Board/Superintendent Relations
  • How to run Effective Meetings
  • Board Self Evaluations (with a resulting board improvement plan)
  • Parliamentary Procedure
  • Board’s Quasi-Judicial Role
  • Data for School Boards
  • School Budget & Finance
  • Family Engagement
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Policy
  • Facilitated Superintendent Evaluation
  • Advisory School Committees
  • Charter Schools
  • Communications with your board
  • Labor Relations
  • Ethics
  • Specialized facilitation 
  • Focus on particular issues
  • Choice of program
  • Scheduling to meet the needs of your board members and administrators
  • Team building

Finally, we're here to assist boards that are searching for a superintendent. Please reach out to us so we can customize based on your needs. 
 
For our member districts the special rate for a 3-hour training will be $600. This includes the preparation, up to 3 hours of training, and a post-training report. 
 
Please reach out by email to Timi Tullis or call 907-321-4758 for more information! 
New Resources
Zoom Security Protocols
By Steve Nelson, with contributions from
Ryan Stanley, SERRC TechOps, Sam Jordan, Alaska Staff Development Network, and the Anchorage School District

Almost overnight, Zoom has become the platform of choice for many districts scrambling to hold public meetings, deliver remote instruction to home-bound students, and enable communication among school staff. Along with Zoom’s rapid adoption by educators have been concerns about the platform’s security.

Follow these guidelines to keep your meetings safe and protect student privacy.


Upcoming Webinars
Free to Members
AASB WEBINAR - FREE TO MEMBERS:
Virtual Staff Meetings - Building Wellness and Connection in These Challenging Times

Wednesday, April 15
  • 1:00 Zoom basics
  • 1:30 Workshop
  • 2:30 Q&A

Virtual staff meetings are our new normal. How do we move beyond Zoom fatigue to turn towards each other in this time of physical distancing? Zoom, Google Docs and SEL practices are a match made in heaven for building connection and relationship! This workshop is for administrators and others who are interested in structuring meetings to foster these qualities.

Join AASB's Lisa Worl and Heather Coulehan to explore:
  • An agenda format that promotes SEL competencies in adults
  • Zoom and Google strategies to encourage engagement (breakout rooms, Google doc collaboration, polls, and chat box)
  • Ideas from across the state to support staff well being

For those interested in practicing Zoom basics, we’ll meet at 1:00 pm for a brief review of Zoom features, and then host the workshop from 1:30-2:30 pm. We’ll also plan to stay online until 3:00 pm for a follow-up Q&A session.

Questions?
AASB WEBINAR - FREE TO MEMBERS:
Working with your Community

Tuesday, April 21 at Noon

Join AASB's Claudia Plesa and Tyler Breen to learn about how your Board and you as a Board member can work more effectively with your community to improve student success.
You may also be interested in these AASB webinars
Distance Teaching with Zoom
Are you wondering how to keep your students engaged while teaching online? Professor Megan Gahl and AASB staff answer questions and listen to teacher insights during this "office hours" session.

Tips for Engaging Learners From a Distance
In this educator-focused webinar, Professor Megan Gahl, Heather Coulehan and Emily Ferry provide an overview of Zoom basics and best practices, and engagement in online classrooms.

Holding Your Meeting Remotely
In this board-focused webinar, Lon Garrison and Timi Tullis provide an overview of what board members need to know to hold successful remote meetings.

Working with the Board
Learn more about working with your fellow board members in an effective way that results in improved student achievement.

Policy For Governance
Learn more about how your Board policy is the basis for your school district governance.
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Spike Jorgensen Scholarship
The Spike Jorgensen Scholarship is awarded annually to students from Coalition for Education Equity member school districts who show strong promise to overcome academic, personal, or societal obstacles to excel in his or her chosen area of post-secondary education.

In light of the extraordinary measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Coalition for Education Equity has extended the deadline for this year’s scholarship application to April 30, 2020. Renewal applications must be received by June 16, 2020.

DHSS Shareable Social Media

The Department of Health and Social Services has developed COVID-19 social media posts that are being shared on the department's Facebook pages to raise awareness that Alaskans with ongoing health concerns have higher chances of getting very sick from COVID-19. That includes people with diabetes, heart or lung disease, cancer, and severe obesity. You can help by sharing the posts on your social media page when you see them on DHSS Facebook pages.
Examples of DHSS social media posts
A Message From the Librarian of Congress

I hope that you are taking care or yourselves and your families as we settle into a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During these challenging times, the Library of Congress buildings remain closed to the public with all public events currently canceled through May 11. However, while our physical doors may be closed, we are still here for you.
The Library’s vast online resources offer unlimited opportunities to discover something new for families, educators, researchers and anyone curious enough to join us.
Carla Hayden,
Librarian of Congress

Our dedicated and talented Library staff remain hard at work, remotely expanding online collections, cataloging, registering Copyrights and advising Congress, while also developing new virtual events and offerings that offer  new ways to engage . Below you will find just a few ways that you can continue to find excellent programs and content from the Library.

Thank you for your support of the Library of Congress, and we invite you to continue to (virtually) engage with us safely at home. Visit our website for  full, up-to-date information about our response to COVID-19 .

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress
Resources for Safety
Being quarantined at home for extended periods can increase the amount of stressors for families and teachers connecting remotely. Here are some resources.
The Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault list of regional statewide services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,

If you suspect child abuse or neglect, Alaska DHSS encourages reporting such knowledge or suspicions so children can be protected and families receive help.

1-800-478-4444
A safe domestic violence and dating violence helpline for American Indians and Alaska Natives, offering culturally-appropriate support and advocacy daily. Anonymous & confidential.

DHSS updates for safe physical activity: Wear a face covering outside when you are exerting yourself and passing by others
Communities across Alaska continue to follow hunker-down and shelter-in-place guidelines that have changed how we should be physically active to prevent the spread of coronavirus, also called COVID-19. “Alaska is beautiful, and being outside can be a good way to be able to take care of your physical and mental health — but it’s important that you do it safely,” said Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Anne Zink
Alaska Chief Medical Officer
Four Core Priorities for Trauma-Informed Distance Learning

Alex Shevrin Venet is a college professor and consultant who facilitates professional development on implementing trauma-informed practices. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers are reckoning with their own experiences of overwhelming stress and anxiety, and for some this offered a new window into what it feels like for students who experience overwhelming stress regularly.
Trauma-informed teaching varies for different teachers and students. For that reason, Venet has developed “four core priorities,” for trauma-informed classrooms.

Parenting when The Family Is Locked Inside
Lisa Damour, New York Times podcast

Family togetherness, the literal variety, is less of a choice than ever during the coronavirus crisis. Clinical Psychologist Lisa Damour discusses the specific challenges of raising teenagers during the pandemic.

Listen to Podcast (72 Minutes)
Coronavirus Information and Resources
Coronavirus Resources for Districts
NEW legal overviews of EFMLA and FFCRA , Public Health Alerts and Mandates, best practices for online meetings, emergency state and Federal grants, Alaska COVID-19 news, DHSS AK COVID-19 Dashboard, and more.
NEW Resources for Parents and Educators with Students at Home
An ever growing list of ideas and materials to support teachers, parents, and caregivers in search of ways to deliver instruction and daily activities to students learning remotely at home.
Virtual Meetings and Instruction
AASB webinars for School Boards and Educators on conducting meetings and delivering instruction online, plus these other AASB webinar resources:
NEW Alaska Coronavirus (COVID-19) Newsfeed
A summary of statewide Alaska media coverage
of the coronavirus pandemic impact. Updated daily.
Internet Service Providers
Special offers for new or upgraded service for the remainder of the school year from ISPs, including ACS , ASTAC , GCI , KPU , MTA , and 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
District Dispatches
SCHOOL CLOSURE - WEEK 4

How is your district supporting students at home?
What have been your successes and challenges?

Anchorage School District
Starr Marsett, School Board President
The instructional division continues to improve procedures and implement next-level practices in the following areas:
Paper packets: The District's most recent paper and pencil packet mailing is in the 4,000 student range and growing. Individual mailings for special education students needing special materials or activities that are tied to their IEP are now underway. The Administration is researching costs and materials required to provide all students in K-8 a summer packet of educational activities to supplement work that is already underway.

Clearing lockers and retrieving personal items: A team is developing protocols for clearing personal items out of the schools. Logistically, this will be major undertaking but certainly needs to be done if it can be done safely.

Progress monitoring: The Administration is researching the levels of student engagement and hopes to have sufficient data to report at the next Board meeting. The major research questions are:
  • To what extent are students engaging in the online content being provided by the school district?
  • Are students who have been given devices using them to engage?

Bering Strait School District

BSSD has created a Google folder system organized by grade and content for staff to share resources.
Denali Borough School District
Nikki DeMers, School Board

Our teachers are going above & beyond to deliver quality education to our kids at home. Using Zoom, Seesaw & Google Classroom kids are coming together from the safety of their homes to learn, collaborate, turn in their work & enjoy new technology. Our kids have had their school IPads & laptops, all their school supplies & texts delivered safely to them by coordinated efforts of school staff. We are still learning & revising methods, delivering & accomplishing our District’s mission: Nurturing, empowering & inspiring today’s student to positively shape tomorrow’s world.
From the Viking Saga Tri-Valley School Newsletter:

Elementary Spirit Week (Week of April 13-17). Even though we are not together physically, we can still show our school spirit and have fun together!

  • Monday (4/13): PJ Day (Wear your comfiest/silliest/best pajamas to your class meetings today.)
  • Tuesday (4/14): Hat Day (Show off that cool hat you have!)
  • Wednesday (4/15): Prince/Princess Day (Now it is time to dress to impress with your fanciest and most royal garb!)
  • Thursday (4/16): Twin Day (Coordinate with a friend (or make a group!) and dress the same
  • Friday (4/17): Blue/Gold Day (Show off your Warrior pride with some blue and gold today! **

Thanks to Mrs. Legrismith’s super-awesome first graders for these ideas!
**Can’t meet on Zoom? That’s okay! Dress up anyway and send your teacher a picture!**
Dillingham City School District

Distributing pre-packed lunches. Teachers are preparing take-home packets with written instructions for students on a week-by-week basis. Students read aloud at home with family members using learning materials from class that they are familiar with.

Hoonah City Schools

Hoonah had a "front window teddy bear hunt" where families could drive around the community looking for teddy bears. There are scheduled drumming times when folks gather in their driveways for drumming and dancing together.

Juneau School District

Families with young children in the community are participating in the "Rainbow in the Window Campaign" by leaving messages of hope made by kids in the windows of their homes.
Chance's rainbow drawings
Klawock City School District
Mary Edenshaw, School Board President

The teachers are so awesome, going above and beyond to make this situation less difficult.


Kuspuk School District
Sue Hoeldt, School Board

 Sending out packets and then texting parents twice per week. No internet options unless you have it at home, no proactive Zoom or other ways to promote education.
Lake and Peninsula School District

K-12 students receive home bound packets each Monday. The district provided science kits for students to take home, along with iPads and computers with preloaded coursework. Igiugig's head teacher, District teachers meet twice a week, online to share ideas. Students and community members can participate in the district's art contest. Another teacher created a platform online for people to share poems and speeches.
Lower Yukon School District

Kotlik uses a texting app to communicate with parents. VHF radio is being used in the region to give announcements and have church services. Bilingual teachers are encouraged to do short connecting activities for students by VHF.

Nome Public Schools
Jamie Burgess, Superintendent

Local food deliveries continue. NPS was recently authorized to feed all children up to age 18 with Monday through Friday breakfast and lunch deliveries. How the school year will close is still uncertain. If students are struggling, or feeling like they have too much or not enough work, parents are urged to to give feedback to their child’s teachers. We are all learning together what works best for our families and our kids.
Petersburg School District
Erica Kludt-Painter, Superintendent

 Students are staying positive and coming up with creative ways to have fun. Rae C. Stedman Elementary School has started a reading challenge and students have been participating in spirit week. The kids are just doing pretty darn well, and they've been amazingly resilient during this whole situation.

Southeast Island School District
Sherry Becker, Superintendent

All SISD staff have been involved in the myriad aspects of switching to distance education. Our secondary students that have internet capability join their regularly scheduled classes online with their SISD instructors. Those that do not have internet access, participate by phone, if they have service, or by completing packets/alternate assignments to address their core learning needs. Elementary student services are provided similarly.
Teachers working together with paraprofessionals ensure that special education and 504 services are provided to the extent possible. Many of our students with disabilities receive speech/language services via distance while some practice on iPads at home.

The variety of assignments that have been created in such a short amount of time shows the staff dedication to providing a quality education for all students. Alternate assignments include outdoor activities that can be completed by the whole family and are enriching the coursework received throughout the week. Daily phone calls, emails, and Facebook posts encourage/support our families as they take on the daunting task of supporting their children full time academically and emotionally while also struggling through the concerns that fall upon us all in these difficult times. SISD students, staff, and parents are growing stronger as a result of this experience and will be much more confident in their abilities when schools reopen. #AKSISDProud

Becky Saffold, School Board
Internet service supplied by state and email from school site aide.

Southwest Region School District

Sent students the first set of homework this week. Teachers are staying in touch with families while the schools are closed. Distributing meal services in the form of pre-packed lunches.

How is your district supporting students at home?

AASB would like your input on how your district is providing remote instruction and support to your students. What have been your successes and challenges ?
National Education News
Please note - some news outlets may require registration or a paid subscription for link access. Others may grant free access to a limited number of articles before requiring a paid subscription.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos Authorizes New Funding Flexibilities to Support Continued Learning During COVID-19 National Emergency
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced a  new streamlined process for providing states funding flexibilities to best meet the needs of students and educators during the COVID-19 national emergency.
The new flexibilities, authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, allow schools to repurpose existing K-12 education funds for technology infrastructure and teacher training on distance learning, among other flexibilities to move resources to areas of highest need during the national emergency.



New Database: Dozens of School Districts Share Their Early Plans for Teaching, Learning and Supports During the Pandemic. Here’s What the Top 12 Systems Are Doing
Laura Fay, the 74 Million

With the vast majority of America’s public schools now shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic. So what are districts doing in the face of this unprecedented challenge? A new and evolving public database compiled by the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research center based at the University of Washington Bothell, is capturing specific district-by-district efforts in transitioning to distance efforts.

District Pandemic Plans Database
Who Gets to Go to College When All College Is Online?
Shayne Spaulding & Adaeze Okoli, Urban Institute

As colleges across the country move toward distance education to close out the school year, looming questions about equitable access for students remain.
Though distance education has been expanding recently, the coronavirus pandemic brought about a sudden turn toward online education at almost all colleges, raising questions about access and supports. Of particular concern are low-income students, older students, Black and Hispanic/Latino students, and students from rural areas, all of whom face particular barriers to access and success.

Alaska Education News
Please note - some news outlets may require registration or a paid subscription for link access. Others may grant free access to a limited number of articles before requiring a paid subscription.
State extends Alaska’s K-12 schools closure through rest of school year
Morgan Krakow, Anchorage Daily News
Alaska’s public and private K-12 schools will remain closed to students for the rest of the school year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, state officials announced Thursday evening, along with the extension of other public health measures.

The new education-related health mandate announced Thursday extends a prior closure announced in March that shuttered schools to students through May 1. School districts across the state launched distance learning programs to continue students’ education through the closure.

“Despite the need to extend school building closures, student learning will continue, per each school district’s individual plan, to provide distance-delivered educational services to students,” the new mandate states.

Kids walk near closed Service High School. Photo: Marc Lester
Families plug in as districts flip the switch on online learning
Mayowa Aina, KTOO
For many students in Alaska, Tuesday, March 31, marked the first day of school … all over again. In the state’s largest district, thousands of teachers and students logged on to give online learning a try. And like any syllabus week or transition to something new, right now many are just focusing on getting on the right page – er, portal.

Sitting at a table in the living room with his headphones in and his teacher on the computer screen, Jeffery Hanson, who’s in the 7th grade, checked in for his first class of the day – math.

Bailey Fuller (left), 15, and Willow Fuller (right), 12, of Palmer work on online assignments in their family’s living room on March 31, 2020. Photo Courtesy of Andrea Fuller
Elementary School Connects With Kids In Teacher Parade,
Katie Basile, KYUK

On April 3, Gladys Jung Elementary School students stepped outside their homes to see their teachers honking, waving, and holding signs in a parade of teachers that followed the Bethel school bus route. A flyer circulated by email and social media prior to the parade said, "The staff at Gladys Jung Elementary School miss you so much that we want to see you." The flyer also encouraged social distancing by asking students to get parental permission and stand at least 6 feet apart while watching the parade.


Sixth grade teacher Sephora Lestenkoff rides in the Gladys Jung Elementary teacher parade in Bethel.
Photo: Katie Basile
Rural educators strive for equity in distance learning during coronavirus pandemic
Shady Grove Oliver, The Arctic Sounder
As the coronavirus pandemic pushes schooling online and into the home, teachers across Alaska are rethinking and reshaping their curriculum to fit. For educators in rural areas, this is a particularly daunting task, as many of their students may not have the infrastructure and resources they need to learn well outside of school.

A painted dumpster near Barrow High School sends a message about the importance of education. Photo: Shady Grove Oliver
LKSD Board Member Challenges Teachers To Deliver Alternatives To Paper Work Packets
Greg Kim, KYUK
Many parents and students in the Lower Kuskokwim School District are now familiar with paper work packets substituting for classroom teachers. At LKSD’s last board meeting, one member blasted the work packets for being demotivating. Superintendent Dan Walker agrees with those complaints, but says that it’s hard when the most logical alternative, online learning, is not an option.
At the LKSD board meeting on April 2, board members thanked teachers for continuing to educate kids during school closures. However, some board members, like former teacher Michael Husa, had harsh words for the paper packets of work that have replaced instruction for many students.

LKSD Changes Graduation Requirements, Other Ways COVID-19 Is Impacting The School District
Greg Kim, KYUK

In a board meeting on April 2, the school board changed graduation requirements for seniors, planned for using schools as quarantine shelters, and adjusted schedules for construction projects.

FNSB schools sideline traditional grading
Kyrie Long, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Traditional grading has been done away with for the final quarter of classes in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District under new guidelines rolled out Tuesday afternoon for grading during the coronavirus-caused school closures.
“It is my hope that the grading guidelines will relieve stress for educators, families and students,” Superintendent Karen Gaborik wrote in an email to families. “The guidelines clarify the district’s teaching and learning goals for second semester at the elementary, middle and high school levels, with an emphasis on feedback.

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District releases grading guidelines for remote learning
Alex Bengel, webcenter11.com

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has released its grading guidelines for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. Elementary students will receive NS for their fourth quarter grade, with middle school students receiving NG. Both of these indicate insufficient evidence to assign a grade. Third quarter grades will still be counted. For high school seniors, academic indicators like grade point average, class rank and honor cords will be based on their academic standing at the end of the school year’s first semester.

The school district has checked out electronic devices to students across the borough to assist with remote learning. Photo: Alex Bengel
'You Have To Push Yourself In These Times:' Unalaska's Schools Transition To Home-Based Education
Maggie Nelson, KUCB, Unalaska
As Unalaska's schools transition into their second week of home-based education, following the statewide closure of Alaska’s public and private schools amid coronavirus concerns, faculty and staff remain isolated inside their empty classrooms or workspaces at home, writing elaborate emails, returning missed calls and voicemails, and compiling work packets to send home to their students.

Families pick up work packets outside of the high school. Photo: Unalaska School District
Bristol Bay educators adjust to curriculums outside classroom
Tyler Thompson, KDLG
Educators and students around Bristol Bay were forced to adjust after schools around the region shut down due to the coronavirus.

In Dillingham, teachers are preparing take-home packets with written instructions for students on a week-by-week basis. Mariah Smith teaches high school math, French and computer science to more than 60 students. Smith said the transition from in-class instruction to remote learning is a challenge.

Fairbanks School District program has distributed thousands of meals to borough children
Alex Bengel, webcenter11.com
Since March 18th, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has operated a program for providing meals during school closures. 44,800 meals have been distributed so far. School buses parked at more than 40 locations around the borough serve as distribution sites, handing out breakfast and lunch while maintaining social distancing.

The meal program has been operating since March 18th. Photo: Alex Bengel
School district unsure of financial impact of COVID-19
Jenny Neyman
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is as up in the air as everyone else about what the coronavirus pandemic will mean, financially.

The district’s Board of Education met Monday via teleconference. Acting Superintendent Dave Jones outlined several factors that will impact the district — one good, most bad.

With employees in quarantine after first regional COVID case, Lower Kuskokwim schools tighten protocols
Greg Kim, KYUK
The first positive case of COVID-19 has arrived in Bethel, and it’s already impacting the Lower Kuskokwim School District. Superintendent Dan Walker said that several staff members are in self-quarantine after being told they were in contact with Bethel’s first positive case.

The staff members were alerted by the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation; Walker knows of four or five. “That I’m aware of, and I may not be aware of all of them,” Walker said. “We’re going above and beyond to take precautions.”

LKSD school playgrounds remain closed as staff find ways to further limit the physical interactions with students.
Photo: Katie Basile
Alaska Mask Makers helps to fill gap in supplies
Lauren Maxwell, KTVA
Alaskans are bringing out their sewing machines to help fight a shortage of face masks statewide. A Facebook group called Alaska Mask Makers is coordinating the effort with more than 2,500 members.
The page, which includes tutorials, can match people who want to sew with organizations that request masks. Starbard was working on an order for the Alaska Native Medical Center.


Vera Starbard works on masks. Photo: KTVA
Juneau Group Makes Protective Medical Equipment
Southeast PPE is a Juneau-based not-for-profit that is making protective equipment to support First Responders and Medical personnel. The group makes masks, hoods, and gowns from Tyvek and other materials. They are looking for volunteers to help.


Superintendent Search Service
Looking for a New Superintendent?

The Association of Alaska School Boards has been conducting successful and economical superintendent searches for over twenty years.
Our Superintendent Search Service provides expert facilitation of the entire search process, including identifying the needs of the district, recruiting candidates, conducting background searches, facilitating interviews, and all the steps to help with the hiring process. Learn about our Search Service


If you would like AASB to conduct a superintendent search for your district, or have questions,  Contact Us

Your school district is a vital member of the Association of Alaska School Boards, our state’s leading advocate for public education. Together, we work to ensure equity by strengthening the connections between schools, families, tribes, communities, and government so that every Alaskan child has the opportunity to receive a quality public education.

The many services AASB offers are designed to provide maximum benefit to our members in meeting their district's goals. Check out our Membership Benefits brochure and let us know how we can assist you!


Association of Alaska School Boards | aasb.org