The Wrangell School Board scarcely had a quorum at its Monday evening meeting when it reappointed its officers following the results of the Oct. 7 local election. Susan Eagle was re-elected by voters, and after a unanimous 3-0 vote was reinstated as board president.
Board members Rinda Howell and Tammy Groshong were named as vice-president and secretary, respectively. The three then decided to appoint Aleisha Mollen to replace Krissy Smith who resigned last month from the school board. Mollen had run for the same seat as Eagle during the election, and put in her name for Smith's spot afterward along with local parent Aaron Angerman.
Superintendent Patrick Meyer presented board members with results from the 2013/14 Alaska Student Performance Index (ASPI) ratings for Wrangell Public Schools (WPS). The index factors various criteria such as attendance, student performance, faculty qualifications and graduation rates for individual schools.
Out of a possible five stars, Evergreen Elementary and Wrangell High School each received four-star ratings. Stikine Middle School scored in the 98th percentile, with a five-star rating.
“These are ASPI ratings that any other school would be proud to have,” Meyer said. “As a community we should all be very proud.”
Noting new statewide school standards in effect this year, he added that the schools' performance ratings indicated they would have little issue meeting the higher expectations.
“Coming out of the gate we should be really pleased that we have these scores in the rearview mirror,” Meyer commented.
In the public comments portion of the meeting, a letter submitted by Borough Assembly member Julie Decker praised industrial arts teacher Drew Larrabee's presentation at last month's Southeast Conference. At the conference, he had updated attendees on the high school's acquisition of new industrial equipment and plans to have students use these in association with local businesses.
“Mr. Larrabee's presentation was the star of the conference,” the letter read.
Decker complimented the teacher's work so far, and also encouraged the school board to involve itself with the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan whose advisory committee she sits on.
WPS has applied for a $1,000 grant from Alaska Public Entity Insurance to send two staff members to Anchorage for additional human resources training.
Board members approved extracurricular contracts for Jim Brooks as assistant boys basketball coach at the middle school, Beth Comstock as sophomore class advisor, and Kylee Kvernvik as assistant girls basketball coach for the middle school.
They also went over and approved seven policy items, including the use of school facilities by Wrangell Medical Center in the event of a catastrophe, updates to the code of ethics, and non-retention of teachers. The pieces in full can be found at the WPS agenda page at http://www.boarddocs.com.
In other school news, two Wrangell students were able to attend this year's Southeast Alaska Honors Music Festival in Juneau: junior Tabby Hommel who sings alto; and sophomore Joe Hommel who plays tuba.
"We had quite a few kids audition,” she said, with about eight students placing submissions. Of them, all but two were selected to go or else chosen as alternates.
“They're all brand new for traveling,” explained Tasha Morse who heads the music program for Wrangell Public Schools. Featuring the brightest musical talent from students in the region, the three-day event lasted from Sunday until Tuesday.
In addition, Tabby Hommel will be headed to All-State in Anchorage next month, which Morse explained is the first time a Wrangell student has done so in about a decade.
There are 23 students currently involved in the high school music program, and about as many in Stikine Middle School's.
For upcoming events, there will be a book fair at Evergreen Elementary tomorrow from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Parents are also asked by the elementary's Parent Advisory Committee to bring in any used books they would like to donate.
There should be door prizes of coupons and gift baskets available, and local roller derby team the Garnet Grit Betties have volunteered to assist with clean-up afterward.
The next meeting of the school board will be held in Room 101 of the elementary school on Nov. 17, at 6:30 p.m.
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