Newly elected School Board members Misty Archibald, Matt Eisenhower and Alma Manabat Parker will take the oath of office at the start of Wednesday’s Ketchikan School Board meeting.
Also Wednesday, Ketchikan Charter School Principal Julie Espinosa will present the school’s annual report to the board. The charter school, which was established in 1997, is afforded some autonomy, but also held accountable to state standards. The report will include a presentation of last year’s Alaska Measures of Progress test results.
About mid-way through the 20-day counting period, Superintendent Robert Boyle reports to the board that the current student count of 2,304 is slightly higher than projected. If Point Higgins Elementary remains above 250 students, the district will be entitled to an additional $300,000 from the state.
The Board will hold its first public hearing regarding graduation ceremonies and requirements. The discussion began at the previous meeting with a proposal that students who have not completed graduation requirements be able to participate in graduation ceremonies without receiving their diploma. Student Representative Cheyenne Matthews surveyed Ketchikan High School seniors and found that 50% were in favor, and that an overwhelming amount of hand-written responses thought each circumstance should be judged individually.
The Ketchikan School Board meets a 6 p.m. in Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff building. There is time for public comment at the beginning and end of each meeting and during public hearings.
