With snow falling all through town, the last day of school for the Wrangell School District was made just that much more special. After a long semester starting last August, students in elementary, middle, and high school now have a few weeks to relax, spend time with family, and enjoy winter break. The last day of class was made into a celebration across all the schools.
Students at Evergreen Elementary got to leave class early to take a trip to the Nolan Center. There, they were treated to a special showing of “The Grinch.”
The middle school and high school also got to celebrate the last day of school. The high school commons were filled with board games, the
gym was opened up, and students and teachers all got to enjoy a lunch of hotdogs and sloppy joes. Several kids opted to go outside to play in the snow, as well.
The beginning of winter break also marks a milestone for several school district staff. Wrangell has a new elementary school principal, secondary school principal, and a new superintendent.
Virginia Tulley, principal of Evergreen Elementary, could not be reached for comment.
Secondary School Principal David Macri, however, said that his first semester was very enjoyable.
“It’s going good, I learned quite a bit,” he said. “I listened to a lot of different folks, parents, teachers, students. I went down to the chamber of commerce and met with some of the area businessmen. So I’m getting a pretty good idea of what direction the community wants the school to go in.”
Macri said that he has had nothing but good experiences with people in the school and the wider community. He added that he believes the school is heading in a good direction, and wants to maintain the course they’re on when classes resume.
A new schedule for the fall of 2019 is in the works, he said, that would hopefully provide more flexibility for students wanting to take a “non-traditional” approach to their education.
Superintendent Debbe Lancaster said that she and other district staff members have worked tirelessly to nurture a positive student learning environment. Things like the school’s ranking against other Alaska schools, new safety protocols, and other items were hot topics of discussion across the district. Lancaster also said that she and others have worked hard to form a strong team of teachers and staff members across all of Wrangell’s schools.
“I could not be more proud of staff, students, parents, and community members who continually push the limits on making this a harmonious and productive school community,” Lancaster said in an email to the Sentinel. “I am delighted to call Wrangell my home and we have a lot to look forward to in 2019.”
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