School Board approves orchard at elementary school

The Wrangell School Board voted three-to-one Monday in favor of having a fruit tree orchard planted on property at the elementary school.

The orchard is being provided by the Fruit Tree Planning Foundation’s (FTPF) “Communities Take Root” program.

In January, FTPF arborist Rico Montenegro visited Wrangell to scout possible locations for an orchard. Kris Reed of the volunteer Tree Care Committee told the school board last month the space in front of the elementary school on Bennett Street would be an ideal location to plant 30 to 40 trees.

At the school board’s meeting this week, board members Rick Groshong, Peter Helgeson and Krissy Smith voted in favor of planting the orchard on school grounds. School Board Chair Susan Eagle, voted against it.

Eagle said she feared the school would ultimately become responsible for maintaining the orchard.

“Yes, we have people that are willing to take care of the orchard right now, but ten years down the road, 15 years down the road, what is that going to look like?” Eagle said. “Is that eventually somehow going to become the school’s responsibility because it’s on our property?”

A possible decrease of sunlight for classrooms at the front of the school, as well as a loss of existing open, green space at the school were also concerns discussed by Eagle and audience members at the meeting.

However, despite those concerns, the school board passed the motion to allow the orchard to be planted at the elementary school.

Reed said the Tree Care Committee and FTPF will now work to figure out the exact space available for planting at the elementary school and finalize plans for the orchard.

The fruit trees will likely be planted on June 30, in hopes the event will be part of Wrangell’s Fourth of July celebrations, Reed said.

FTPF has chosen apple, plum and cherry trees so far for Wrangell’s orchard, Reed said.

Also at the school board meeting, members adopted an amended strategic plan for the district, as introduced by Superintendent Rich Rhodes.

The school board also amended its middle school policy manual to allow students enrolled in Alaska Virtual Academy — a public online school program — to participate in Wrangell Stikine Middle School extracurricular activities.

The change takes effect July 1.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for April 16.