In a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meeting full of pleas, tears, and stories of Sterling Elementary’s personal impacts, many faculty, students, and community members advocated keeping the school open.
Amidst a projected budget deficit of approximately $17 million for the upcoming fiscal year, KPBSD is faced with making difficult budget cuts, including the closures of district schools.
Following a KPBSD Board of Education meeting at the end of April, Nikolaevsk School and Sterling Elementary were placed on the chopping block for school closures, resulting in the permanent closure of Nikolaevsk School on Monday.
Many Sterling Elementary staff, students, and community members dressed in Sterling pride attended the meeting. They testified to the KPBSD for keeping their beloved school open.
“This school is an amazing place. You have options that will not remove a school from a community. Please investigate them.” Said Sterling Kindergarten Teacher, Krystal Duval. “Let’s look at a way that we cannot close a school and a community. Cuts have to be made and we have asked you to make those hard cuts. So let’s start making cuts for our kids so that they can have some reassurance.”
Sterling Elementary, “Where Falcons Learn to Soar,” has roughly 130 current students, some of whom attended the meeting and voiced why their school is an important part of their community.
“Our school is unique because of its community building. Please keep Sterling Elementary open so Sterling Elementary can learn and grow for another 60 years.” Said Sterling Elementary 6th grader, Wilder Koecher.
Elizabeth Kvamme, Principal of Sterling Elementary, highlighted various programs that make Sterling unique, such as its Native Youth Olympics program, music program, and 6th-grade leadership program.
“I know that you have many difficult decisions ahead of you, but I urge you to please value Sterling Elementary. We are a school on the rise. We have shown impressive academic growth this year, and we offer a wealth of enriching opportunities to our students. So please, please allow us to continue our vital work in shaping the future of our children and the students in Sterling.” Said Principal Kvamme.
As the school year ends, many Sterling teachers are asked by their students whether they can return for the next school year.
Meanwhile, in Juneau, Alaska lawmakers passed House Bill 57 with bipartisan support. This bill raised the Base Student Allocation by $700 and added reforms to address Governor Dunleavy’s prior veto.
The bill includes class size targets, charter school changes, cellphone restrictions, and increased funding for transportation, correspondence programs, and vocational education. It aims to stabilize school budgets and prevent layoffs.
Lawmakers urge the governor to sign the bill quickly as districts finalize next year’s plans.
