Ketchikan’s School Board welcomed three new members and elected Michelle O’Brien as their new president during Wednesday night’s meeting.
O’Brien previously served on the board from 2009 to 2017, and as president for multiple years. She currently works as the executive director of the Greater Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce.
After hearing a presentation from the district business manager about the state’s education funding formula and the outlook for the coming year, O’Brien stressed the need for public transparency.
“I think one of the key elements moving forward in this budget process this year is going to be how we communicate to the community of Ketchikan,” O’Brien said. “And do so in a way that is very easy to understand.”
In light of the intense community backlash last spring following dozens of layoff notices, the board agreed to prioritize making the budget process clear and open.
Jordan Tabb, the newly elected vice president, added that part of their job would be helping the community understand how to best communicate the school’s needs to state lawmakers.
“We’ve cut so much from our students, and they’re struggling. Our faculty is struggling, the fear of more cuts and more cuts and watching things continue to atrophy away,” Tabb said. “So this is that time where we get to say, ‘Let’s make a case and let’s engage the community in helping them make that case.’”
The vast majority of the district’s funding comes from the state, and the legislature has not made a meaningful increase to their per-student funding formula since 2017, lagging behind inflation.
Katherine Tatsuda was elected clerk-treasurer for the board. Also sworn in on Wednesday were Ali Ginter for her first term, and Keenan Sanderson, who was re-elected to his second term.
