Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Dianne MacRae, Debbie Cary, Beverley Romanin and Kelley Cizek participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

School board candidates wrap up forum series

The forum was the eighth in a series hosted by the Clarion and KDLL ahead of the 2023 elections

Dianne MacRae, Debbie Cary, Beverley Romanin and Kelley Cizek participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Elizabeth Hayes, left, gives a presentation on the school district’s FY23 budget at Soldotna High School on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. Hayes during the KPBSD Board of Education’s Sept. 11, 2023, meetings, debuted first of an informational “Budget 101 Series.” (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Elizabeth Hayes, left, gives a presentation on the school district’s FY23 budget at Soldotna High School on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. Hayes during the KPBSD Board of Education’s Sept. 11, 2023, meetings, debuted first of an informational “Budget 101 Series.” (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lyndsey Bertoldo, Penny Vadla and Jason Tauriainen participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Lyndsey Bertoldo, Penny Vadla and Jason Tauriainen participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Assembly members Lane Chesley, left, and Richard Derkevorkian participate in a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Haara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly asks state to allow term limits for school board members

Alaska Statute does not allow term limits to be imposed on school board members

Assembly members Lane Chesley, left, and Richard Derkevorkian participate in a borough assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Haara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD to use grant funds for elementary counselor positions

The district budgeted about $626,000 for elementary school counselors for the current fiscal year

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
(Foreground) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland (left) and KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes (right) speak about the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget during a work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School district prepares to launch ‘Budget 101’ informational meetings

The sessions will be targeted toward the public and will each tackle a different element of the borough’s budget process

(Foreground) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland (left) and KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes (right) speak about the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget during a work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland

A letter from the superintendent

Dear KPBSD staff, students, families and community members

KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board revises policy for challenging instructional materials

The revisions newly limit the number of instructional items that a person can challenge at any given time to one

From left: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Zen Kelly, Patti Truesdell, KPBSD Assistant Superintendent Kari Dendurent and Jason Tauriainen participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Some KPBSD substitute support staff to get pay raises

Some of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s substitute and temporary staff will receive raises for the upcoming school year following a vote in favor… Continue reading

From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Zen Kelly, Patti Truesdell, KPBSD Assistant Superintendent Kari Dendurent and Jason Tauriainen participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board makes final tweaks to district budget

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday updated the district’s budget to reflect new money received from the State of Alaska… Continue reading

From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
KPBSD Summer Work Program Coordinator Olivia Weagraff welcomes attendees to a program celebration event at Soldotna High School on Thursday, June 29, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD celebrates Summer Work Program students

About 45 people gathered in the Soldotna High School commons last week to celebrate the latest group of students to complete a summer work program… Continue reading

KPBSD Summer Work Program Coordinator Olivia Weagraff welcomes attendees to a program celebration event at Soldotna High School on Thursday, June 29, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets on Monday, April 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board starts conversation about 4-day school week

KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland made clear to board members that the purpose of the discussion was not to make any decisions

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets on Monday, April 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Amid misconduct allegations, new district policies promise diligence

KPBSD says it is confident the Title IX policies implemented will prevent harm against students by staff members

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion
Soldotna Elementary School Principal Dr. Austin Stevenson points out corroded insulation outside of the school building on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska.

School district moves ahead with bond projects

$65.5 million in bonds will fund deferred maintenance projects at 10 KPBSD schools

Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion
Soldotna Elementary School Principal Dr. Austin Stevenson points out corroded insulation outside of the school building on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska.
LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Druce returns as head of teachers union

The special election followed the firing of former president Nathan Erfurth, who was arrested in May on charges of sexual abuse of a minor

LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mountain View Elementary School students use their hands to build works using methodology from the University of Florida Literacy Institute during a board of education meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

New reading curriculum to cover Alaska history, culture instead of religion

The change comes after some teachers and community members questioned whether some of the proposed topics, specifically Judaism, Christianity and Islam, were age-appropriate

Mountain View Elementary School students use their hands to build works using methodology from the University of Florida Literacy Institute during a board of education meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Robert Summer sits at Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna, Alaska, in November 2004. (M. Scott Moon/Peninsula Clarion file)

Voices of the Peninsula: Remembering Mr. Summer

We’ve lost one of the great ones

Robert Summer sits at Kaladi Brothers in Soldotna, Alaska, in November 2004. (M. Scott Moon/Peninsula Clarion file)