Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

A sign announcing the closure of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools at K-Beach Elementary can be seen on March 26, 2020, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School board to vote on 1st day for students

Smart Start plan for KPBSD will be sent to Department of Education by the end of this month

A sign announcing the closure of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools at K-Beach Elementary can be seen on March 26, 2020, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Playing safety

Playing safety

Activities return to district facilities

Playing safety
Soldotna High School English teacher Nicole Hewitt teaches her students remotely from her empty classroom at Soldotna High School on Monday, April 6, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Plans for fall school session still in works

District admin is still contemplating if and when school facilities will be open to the public.

Soldotna High School English teacher Nicole Hewitt teaches her students remotely from her empty classroom at Soldotna High School on Monday, April 6, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Mountain View Elementary teacher David Daniel is congratulated on his retirement by John O’Brien, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District superintendent, Tuesday, May 19, 2020, at Mountain View in Kenai. Daniel taught in the district for 34 years. (Photo courtesy of Karl Kircher)

‘The best profession in the world’

Mountain View’s Daniel heads up list of school district retirees

Mountain View Elementary teacher David Daniel is congratulated on his retirement by John O’Brien, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District superintendent, Tuesday, May 19, 2020, at Mountain View in Kenai. Daniel taught in the district for 34 years. (Photo courtesy of Karl Kircher)
Empty lockers and hallways at Soldotna High School are photographed on Monday, April 6. (photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School district asks for feedback on remote learning

The survey was released on May 20 and will be open through May 31.

Empty lockers and hallways at Soldotna High School are photographed on Monday, April 6. (photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Klaiches step away from Nikolaevsk basketball

Klaiches step away from Nikolaevsk basketball

Steve Klaich is retiring after teaching in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District for 32 years.

Klaiches step away from Nikolaevsk basketball
Senior Onaca Daniels and her dog Dez participate in Kenai Central High School’s Class of 2020 Graduation Parade in Kenai, Alaska, on May 20, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

‘The start of something new’

Kenai Central High embark on new lives with fanfare

Senior Onaca Daniels and her dog Dez participate in Kenai Central High School’s Class of 2020 Graduation Parade in Kenai, Alaska, on May 20, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Graduates of River City Academy practice for their virtual graduation with principal Dawn Edwards-Smith this week. The graduates are Charlie Rogers, Izabelle Covey, Maia Whitney, Parker Kincaid, Quai Plate, Kenneth Dyer and Tristen Kane. Not pictured is Andrew Fletcher. (Photo provided by Dawn Edwards-Smith)

River City Academy goes virtual

The institution, started in 2007, was the only one on the Kenai Peninsula to do a virtual graduation.

Graduates of River City Academy practice for their virtual graduation with principal Dawn Edwards-Smith this week. The graduates are Charlie Rogers, Izabelle Covey, Maia Whitney, Parker Kincaid, Quai Plate, Kenneth Dyer and Tristen Kane. Not pictured is Andrew Fletcher. (Photo provided by Dawn Edwards-Smith)
Nikiski High School seniors Hamilton “Hammie” Cox, left, and Martin Cox III, right, smile for the camera during the 2020 Nikiski High School Graduation Commencement Ceremony in Nikiski, Alaska on May 19, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Always go all in on everything’

Nikiski students celebrate with ‘historic’, unconventional ceremony

Nikiski High School seniors Hamilton “Hammie” Cox, left, and Martin Cox III, right, smile for the camera during the 2020 Nikiski High School Graduation Commencement Ceremony in Nikiski, Alaska on May 19, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
‘Appreciate it all’

‘Appreciate it all’

SoHi students say goodbye to memorable, challenging final year

‘Appreciate it all’
Kenai Alternative High School graduate Elsie Daniels signs the ceiling tile for the Class of 2020 at the KAHS graduation Monday in Kenai, Alaska. The tile will join other graduating classes in the ceiling of the school office. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Alt fueled by family, flexibility

“The nature of an alternative school is that we’re flexible and roll with it.”

Kenai Alternative High School graduate Elsie Daniels signs the ceiling tile for the Class of 2020 at the KAHS graduation Monday in Kenai, Alaska. The tile will join other graduating classes in the ceiling of the school office. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion file John O’Brien, superintendent for the Kenai Peninsula School District.

School superintendent to retire next year

The school board has already begun the superintendent recruitment process.

Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion file John O’Brien, superintendent for the Kenai Peninsula School District.
Megan Pacer / Homer News School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday meeting of the school board at Homer High School.

School board hears teacher concerns on contract, health care

Several people commented that the current model for health care is not working for many teachers.

Megan Pacer / Homer News School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday meeting of the school board at Homer High School.
Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2018. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Residents react to mayor’s veto of education funding

Impassioned testimony came from residents who both opposed and supported the veto

Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2018. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Community members, parents, staff and students concerned about the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s potential plan to consolidate Soldotna High School and Soldotna Prep School gathered in the Soldotna High School Auditorium to get more information about how that consolidation would affect them, Thursday, April 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi, SoPrep to consolidate

Ninth graders will be joining the 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at the Soldotna High campus.

Community members, parents, staff and students concerned about the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s potential plan to consolidate Soldotna High School and Soldotna Prep School gathered in the Soldotna High School Auditorium to get more information about how that consolidation would affect them, Thursday, April 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
(File photo)

Schools briefs for the week of April 15-21, 2019

What’s happening this week

(File photo)
Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Residents question mayor’s absence from assembly

The mayor’s office said Pierce would not be in until the week of April 15

Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
John O’Brien was offered the position of interim superintendent of schools for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)

School board chooses new interim superintendent

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education has chosen John O’Brien to be the interim superintendent of schools. The pick comes as a… Continue reading

John O’Brien was offered the position of interim superintendent of schools for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)
First-year Chapman School teacher Malia Larson speaks to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in support of an ordinance that will appropriate around $2.4 million to the school district in hopes of retaining some non-tenured teachers for the next school year in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Looking to leave the state’

In face of budget cuts, teachers seek other opportunities

First-year Chapman School teacher Malia Larson speaks to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in support of an ordinance that will appropriate around $2.4 million to the school district in hopes of retaining some non-tenured teachers for the next school year in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
A Soldotna Silver Salmon Swim Team member listens to testimony in support of keeping the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s pools open, in light of potential budget cuts, on Monday, April 1, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Swimmers flood school board meeting

Swimmers seek more information on potential school pool closures

A Soldotna Silver Salmon Swim Team member listens to testimony in support of keeping the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s pools open, in light of potential budget cuts, on Monday, April 1, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)