Letter to the Editor

In My Opinion

I am the art teacher for Wrangell Middle and High School, and I’m very proud of that position. As an art teacher I try to get my students to see things differently; I encourage them to see outside the box. I want them to see themselves as artists and to learn to be creative. Not everyone can see their own potential. They have to learn how. I think we used to teach that here in Wrangell. I think our school district is changing and not for the benefit of the students. I see a pattern in this district of people leaving Wrangell (Elementary, Middle and High School) in the last three years because they could not work with the current administration. It is a pattern that is continuing. People within the system are afraid to speak out and people outside the system don’t realize what is going on. This is affecting our students. We currently have 45 students in Wrangell that are homeschooled; that’s another school.

In 2014-­2015:

We lost our new MS/HS Principal­ he lasted one year. We lost our Information Technology Coordinator after 15 years. We lost our HS Secretary.

In 2015­-2016:

We lost another new MS/HS Principal ­ he lasted one year. We lost our Counselor/Test Coordinator. We lost our Assistant Technology Coordinator. We lost our Speech Therapist for the hearing impaired.

In 2016-­2017 this year

We lost our MS Secretary. We lost our Elementary Counselor. We lost our UAS Technology Program Coordinator. We are losing our Activities Director and our HS Counselor. We are losing our Elementary School Principal. We have lost at least 8 Paraprofessionals from both the MS/HS and the Elementary.

That’s 21 positions in three years.

Instead of encouraging, training and supporting people we are getting rid of them and hoping someone else will be a better fit. What if we did that to our students? Are we doing that to our students? Are we modeling how to criticize and find fault rather than practicing a positive growth mindset? Students learn what they see.

We need to take a close look at what kind of district we want to be and decide whether or not our students really do come first. I have spoken out at many board meetings over the last three years and hoped for positive change and more responsive communication. I am not being critical just to hear myself talk. I believe that without information and opinions from staff, parents, and students the board can’t make collaborative decisions to govern our school.

This is real. This is happening and is going to continue to happen. We are losing effective and committed employees because of an unhealthy climate. I feel there is a lack of trust in the upper administration that is felt throughout the district.

Students deserve a positive and safe environment where they can flourish. They are learning less and being measured more. School can and should be transformative.

We need to start listening to our students, our kids. We are encouraging them to continue their education after leaving Wrangell and hoping that their post­secondary experience is better than their current one. Parents, Grandparents, Teachers, Principals, School Board members and District Administrators need to allow the real stakeholders ­ the students, the opportunity to get a quality education and guide their own future.

Put students first. Is Wrangell School District’s vision statement vital or just nice words for a poster? Are we fostering and encouraging all students to achieve their potential in an increasingly global society? Now is the time to ask. Now is the time to act. Get involved.

Anne Luetkemeyer