School board members and Superintendent Joshua Garrett say they are shifting their focus toward more opportunities for students and academic improvements.

Board President John DeRuyter expressed satisfaction with recent district achievements, particularly highlighting the adaptability of the faculty.

“I think we made some excellent progress in multiple areas this last year,” DeRuyter said during a June 16 interview. “We had some teachers show initiative in the classroom with the ways they looked at incorporating AI responsibly. And we had some excellent in-services where multiple teachers showed a lot of interest in what was presented.”

DeRuyter praised educators for evaluating diverse teaching methods to accommodate various learning styles.

“That is really important,” he said. “Focusing on the way a child learns is fundamental, because not everyone learns the same way. Having access to different methods and ideas allows for teachers to be more assured that they are reaching as many students as possible.”

Garrett shared a similar positive outlook when reflecting on his first year as superintendent during a June 18 interview. Having previously served as a superintendent at private academies in Kazakhstan, he noted stark differences with Alaska’s publicly funded schools.

“Where I worked overseas were usually private academies, and the funding there was incredibly different,” Garrett said. “The attitude I’m used to, which is what they use there, is you create the greatest education experience for students as possible and then you tell everyone about it. Over time that will bring in more students and will help with retention of the quality staff and faculty.”

He said the political battles over public funding for schools limit fiscal flexibility compared to privately funded international schools.

“The problem here is that we could absolutely have the greatest program and meet every need but we would still have to run a deficit because we aren’t properly funded,” the superintendent said. “I don’t have the same levers to pull here for funding as I did over there.”

To help improve educational opportunities for students, he presented the school board with a 45-page district performance report back in January, advocating for shifting away from traditional educational models that prioritize attendance over comprehension.

Board Member Liz Roundtree responded to the report at a Jan. 28 board meeting, noting that many students demand more rigorous academic opportunities.

“There are some students that are thinking ahead past high school to college,” Roundtree said, noting that multiple students have expressed a desire for advanced placement courses.

“One of the things I’m looking forward to is the possibility of adding more classes for advanced placement as we move along,” Garrett said on June 18.

To expand course offerings, the board in January approved an online Spanish language class, which was offered in the latter half of the school year through Proximity Learning, an Austin, Texas-based company.

The superintendent expressed satisfaction with the program and indicated a willingness to utilize the company for future courses.

Looking ahead, Garrett said the immediate strategy relies heavily on strengthening professional development.

“We want to make sure our faculty and staff have the best access to research strategies to be applied to their classrooms,” he said. “I have already started having discussions with both principals to plan for the next school year and make plans based on their visions for their buildings. But, unfortunately, due to the funding concerns, we just can’t really make long-term plans.”

The district has run a budget deficit in recent years, pulling from reserves to cover spending. Though districts across Alaska have pushed for more state funding — which covers more than 60% of the Wrangell schools budget — lack of political support from the governor and some of legislators has stymied efforts for more money.