Name: Edith-Helen "Sunni" Hilts

Age: 69

Occupation: Homemaker

Family: Husband, Rod; 5 children; raising 2 grandchildren

Education: 2 years of college

Organizations and special interests: N/A

Previously held elected office: Planning & Zoning Chairman; Board of Education

1. Are more schools going to be consolidated in the future or are there other solutions to the issue of declining enrollment?

Enrollments are declining and we are constantly looking for creative solutions to use our space and our resources efficiently. I am afraid that this situation may lead to the future consideration of a school consolidation.

The plus side of this is that having a larger school population can bring benefits to the students. Nikiski/North Star is a good example of that principal.

However, a neighborhood school is often the heart of a community and I would need a compelling reason to close a school either for consolidation or for any other reason.

2. One of the board's goals for the coming year is to evaluate board policies, bylaws and protocol.Ê Is there something in particular that needs to be addressed?

At our last Work Session Board members identified over two dozen areas that need to be addressed. One of them, obviously, is a protocol for naming the administrator of a consolidated school. Another is a written procedure to follow if we ever had to consolidate a school again.

Other areas are varied, depending on each members concern. One of them is the ethical way to present our individual thoughts on controversial issues the Board is involved in, without speaking for the Board as a whole or against the Board's decision.

3. If the Legislature changes the way it funds public schools and increases funding for the district, what should the district's priorities be for any additional funding?

I think that the public has been very clear and the Board agrees that the Pupil/Teacher ratio must be lowered. Equally important, in my view, is the need to carefully evaluate our teachers and hang on to those quality professionals.

I wish that we could restore programs like Art, Music and Vocational Ed to every school, along with libraries, school nurses in each building and enough textbooks.

In a perfect world, we would not have to offer a rotation of classes to our small schools, i.e. History, Science and Language Arts classes offered only once in a 4 year rotation to all high school students regardless of grade level.

I doubt that there will ever be enough funds to go back to the opportunities of the '70s, but I think we have learned ways to compensate and become more efficient, given today's realities.

4. Have you visited a district school recently? What did you do while you were there?

The school I visit most frequently is Susan B. English School, here in Seldovia. I go regularly to monitor the progress of the 16-year-old grandson we raise. Last week I attended an Open House and the meeting of the Booster Club.

I had planned to be at the school in Port Graham for the opening of its K-12 program, but weather intervened for several of us from the School District.

I have to fly to reach all the schools I represent, with the exception of my neighborhood school.