Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

River City Academy graduates walk into Skyview Middle School’s gymnasium during their commencement ceremony on Monday near Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
River City Academy graduates walk into Skyview Middle School’s gymnasium during their commencement ceremony on Monday near Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Athletes from Nikiski Middle/High School’s track and field team visit with elementary students at Nikiski North Star Elementary School. (Photo provided)

‘Building leaders’: Nikiski track and field team supports community

The team has restarted the Nikiski Talent Show, painted stars on the sidewalks at Nikiski North Star Elementary and begun to coach middle and elementary schoolers

Athletes from Nikiski Middle/High School’s track and field team visit with elementary students at Nikiski North Star Elementary School. (Photo provided)
Nikiski Middle/High School senior Maggie Grenier, center, participates in her final school board meeting as student representative on Monday, May 6, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski Middle/High School senior Maggie Grenier, center, participates in her final school board meeting as student representative on Monday, May 6, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce speaks in support of borough and school district budget collaboration during a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly sets school funding floor

The roughly $56.2 million amount is less than the $58.2 million requested last month but is more than what the borough gave the district last year

Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce speaks in support of borough and school district budget collaboration during a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, confers with other senators and legislative staff moments before gavelling in the start of this year’s legislative session at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Senate’s draft operating budget includes outstanding KPBSD pandemic relief funds

Public education advocates, students and staff have doggedly lobbied lawmakers for an increase to the state’s K-12 funding formula

Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, confers with other senators and legislative staff moments before gavelling in the start of this year’s legislative session at the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Student Representative Maggie Grenier speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Student Representative Maggie Grenier speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
From front left, Connections Homeschool Principal Doug Hayman, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche and KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland listen to families during a community conversation on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Senate committee hears correspondence school allotment bill

A superior court judge ruled earlier this month that the allotments are unconstitutional

From front left, Connections Homeschool Principal Doug Hayman, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche and KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland listen to families during a community conversation on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer High School sophomore Sierra Mullikin is one of the students who participated in the community walk-in on Wednesday, April 24. Communities across the state of Alaska held walk-ins in support of legislative funding for public education. (Photo by Emilie Springer)

Teachers, staff and community members ‘walk-in’ at 9 district schools

The unions representing Kenai Peninsula Borough School District staff organized a widespread, “walk-in” protest at Kenai, Soldotna, Seward, Homer, Moose Pass and Seldovia schools early… Continue reading

Homer High School sophomore Sierra Mullikin is one of the students who participated in the community walk-in on Wednesday, April 24. Communities across the state of Alaska held walk-ins in support of legislative funding for public education. (Photo by Emilie Springer)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Oliver Trobaugh speaks to representatives of Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department during Career Day at Seward High School in Seward on Wednesday.

Seward students explore future ambitions at Career Day

Seward High School hosted roughly two dozen Kenai Peninsula businesses Wednesday for the second annual Career Day, giving students the opportunity to tour opportunities and… Continue reading

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Oliver Trobaugh speaks to representatives of Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department during Career Day at Seward High School in Seward on Wednesday.
Students of Soldotna High School stage a walkout in protest of the veto of Senate Bill 140 in front of their school in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi students walk out for school funding

The protest was in response to the veto of an education bill that would have increased school funding

Students of Soldotna High School stage a walkout in protest of the veto of Senate Bill 140 in front of their school in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Leora McCaughey, Maggie Grenier and Oshie Broussard rehearse “Mamma Mia” at Nikiski Middle/High School in Nikiski, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Leora McCaughey, Maggie Grenier and Oshie Broussard rehearse “Mamma Mia” at Nikiski Middle/High School in Nikiski, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meets in Seward, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (screenshot)

Borough awards contract for replacement of Seward High School track

The project is part of a bond package that funds major deferred maintenance projects at 10 borough schools

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meets in Seward, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (screenshot)
Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce, left, and committee Chair Jason Tauriainen, right, participate in the first meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Four Day School Week Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

4-day school week committee talks purpose of potential change, possible calendar

The change could help curb costs on things like substitutes, according to district estimates

Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce, left, and committee Chair Jason Tauriainen, right, participate in the first meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Four Day School Week Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Kelley Cizek, right, speaks as Jason Tauriainen, Patti Truesdell and Penny Vadla listen during a special meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s school board in Soldotna on Monday.

‘They deserve better than this’

School board passes budget with broad swath of cuts, including pools, theaters and some support staff

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Kelley Cizek, right, speaks as Jason Tauriainen, Patti Truesdell and Penny Vadla listen during a special meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s school board in Soldotna on Monday.
School board member Patti Truesdell speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

School Board approves rehiring retired teachers

There are at least 25 full-time positions that will need to be filled for the next fiscal year

School board member Patti Truesdell speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland responds to questions during a joint work session of the School Board and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland responds to questions during a joint work session of the School Board and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer High School students who joined schools from around the state in a high school walkout pose near the end of the event, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. Not all students who attended the event are in the image. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)

Homer students join statewide student walkout

The event was in response to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto last month of an education bill passed by the Alaska Legislature

Homer High School students who joined schools from around the state in a high school walkout pose near the end of the event, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. Not all students who attended the event are in the image. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes, left, presents preliminary fiscal year 2025 budge information during a school board committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes, left, presents preliminary fiscal year 2025 budge information during a school board committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A person walks up the steps of the Alaska Capitol, Jan. 16, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

Some KPBSD schools could benefit from internet bill passed by House

If House Bill 193 becomes law, an additional six KPBSD schools would be eligible for the state’s grant program

A person walks up the steps of the Alaska Capitol, Jan. 16, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)
Signage marks the entrance to Nikiski Middle/High School on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Signage marks the entrance to Nikiski Middle/High School on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)