/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_u3ehus454pfmes24vlnazo55_5fad99a1-ced6-48ff-a942-0a447c655b7a_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 18 May 2013 22:43:10 GMT 15 By Sherri Kessner
By SHERRI KESSNER Editor The Alaska State School board of Education and Early Development came to Galena for a three-day conference at the Galena Interior Learning academy campus in September. The school board held the conference at Galena because they wanted to go out to rural Alaska to talk to the people about their perspectives. They wanted to hear all the different dreams of the students in Alaska. They also wanted to show the communities what the board is all about. Esther Cox, the chair on the school board, described GILA as an “oasis in the wilderness.” “[The school district] just took a bunch of old buildings and turned them into a learning place,” she said, complementing the school for its creativity. The school board stayed for three days with open discussions to the community. Some of the key points that they talked about were: • Boarding schools and why students and parents chose this alternative. • The different opportunities and challenges that students face. • Changes with the teachers and staff. • The outcome if the board decided to change the number of times they gave out state tests. The board started out their first day at 8 a.m. with a public comment meeting. Anyone in the community was able to speak about their views of the education system. “We’re trying to visit the different school districts to help all of us [the state board] to get a better understanding of the things students have to face,” stated Shirley Holloway, the former commissioner of education and a current board member. Tim Rocky, a board’s student adviser from Palmer, added that they [the board] wanted to “try and figure out what Galena is during right; to show the other schools.” Some other key topics which were discussed were looking at school drop out rates and trying to figure out the reason to why the numbers are increasing, and finding out about the number of students who actually graduate. “Graduation opens the doors to future opportunities,” read a flyer that was given out at the conference. Another major topic was the possible change in the compulsory age students would be required to attend school. The current compulsory age is 16. After you reach this age, you are able to decide whether or not you will chose to go to school. The board is discussing is discussing changing the compulsory age to 18. During their discussion, the board members volleyed opinions back and forth, throwing in reasons as to why, or why not, the age should be 18. One of the main statements being argued is that at 16 you are not an adult, and you shouldn’t be able to make adult kinds of decisions. “At what point do we [board members, teachers and staff] stop trying to help students who don’t want to be in school, jeopardizing the students that do?” stated one of the board members. The board was given a change to see the community of Galena. High school students Francis Katongan, Haley Brown, Raven Mustafoski, and John Kavairlook, give the board tours of Galena and the school. ]]> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:27:44 GMT