Alaska 2017 Teacher of the Year James Harris

02/05/2022

I hope the Alaska Legislature, Alaska DEED, Governor, and leaders throughout the state begin to work together and take action on the issues presented in this article — issues that have been ignored or pushed off for a number of years — before this problem continues to get worse.

The pandemic is making it even more difficult to hire and retain educators in Alaska. Strains from burnout and absenteeism are piling on the stress for a system that’s already buckling under the pressure.

12/08/2021

A solid explanation of the serious problems facing Alaskan education courtesy of 2018 Alaska State Teacher of the Year Ben Walker. I genuinely hope that Alaskans begin to implement necessary change to support educators and students.

Anchorage educators deserve a salary and benefits that keep up with the cost of teaching in Alaska.

03/16/2020

Miss Alaskan students every day! So happy to see Kenai Peninsula Borough School District providing these services. Please pass along this information in your community. So awesome!

Free meals for Kenai Peninsula Borough School District students.
Sign up online by 10:00 AM Monday morning to order "Get It & Go" meal delivery beginning Tuesday to 25 delivery locations on the Kenai Peninsula.
Details: http://bit.ly/2Ufg6YW

11/12/2019

Yes! So awesome to see Mrs. Pothast celebrated for her impact on students. This is a teacher who prioritizes EVERY student, delivering multiple content areas in a meaningful and personalized way ... or as my son put it, "Mrs. Pothast rocks!"

Sheilah-Margaret Pothast is currently in her 12th year teaching at Skyview Middle School. She teaches health, Spanish and American History.

05/14/2019

The absolute best night of the school year is Senior Awards night, when dedicated students are honored for YEARS of effort in the classroom and in their communities by businesses, organizations, and scholarship foundations that support students as they work toward their future academic and professional pursuits. Congratulations and well done! Tonight was made even more special when Hannah Delker surprised me with the Joseph B. Whitehead Educator of Distinction Award for Exemplary Dedication to the Field of Education. Hannah was selected as 1 of the 150 Coca-Cola Scholarships Program Coke Scholars of 2019 out of 95,715 applicants. She is an absolute agent of change with a fantastic journey in front of her. So thankful and inspired by her, as I am by all of the students who graced the stage tonight. Again, congratulations , and thank you for inspiring me!

04/30/2019

So awesome to see heroes honored for their service to communities and country! Congratulations to 2019 National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson and all of the 2019 State Teachers of the Year, especially 2019 Alaska Teacher of the Year Danielle Riha! Thank you for your service and for representing Alaskan teachers and your students at the White House today!

Next week is Teacher Appreciation week, and I encourage you to not only appreciate teachers in your communities (I know I have a few to thank), but also honor them with the respect they deserve for their dedicated efforts to improve the lives of others and help our country succeed.

04/11/2019

“The mission of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is to empower all learners to positively shape their futures.” Kenai Peninsula Borough School District graduates are creative problem-solvers, neighbors, business owners, teachers, parents, volunteers, innovators, doctors, and more. You...

04/06/2019

With Governor Dunleavy’s proposed cuts, our school district is facing difficult decisions that include school consolidations and closures. Here is important information for any students, parents, or community members regarding the consolidation of Soldotna High School and Soldotna Prep, along with the building closure for Soldotna Prep.

Soldotna High School Principal Graham, Soldotna Prep Principal Schmidt, district administration, and the school board request your thoughts and input about consolidating Soldotna Prep School (9th grade) and Soldotna High School (10th-12th grade) beginning with the school year beginning August 20, 20...

02/15/2019

I know several of my students, teachers, and members of the community are still dealing with earthquake damage in their homes and businesses. Here is some important information from Kenai Peninsula Borough. Thankful to all of the public servants and United States citizen tax payers that are helping our community.

If you got a notice from FEMA about Transitional Sheltering Assistance and need a place to stay: Use the link to find participating hotels.

01/08/2019

So proud to see heroes like 2018 Alaska Teacher of the Year Ben Walker honored by our country for their work helping students and communities grow. Well done, Ben. Well deserved!