Fast times at Wrangell High: All schools start Aug. 22

School is back — at least it will be in a week.

On Aug. 22, students will walk through the doors of Evergreen Elementary, Stikine Middle and Wrangell High, marking the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

Superintendent Bill Burr said this year’s projected enrollment of 260 students is an estimate, nearly identical to last year’s average daily tally of 259.5.

Though school might not feel all that different for students walking the halls, the upcoming school year will not be without some changes. In personnel, Jamie Wollman and Greg Clark will both embark on their first years as principals at the elementary and secondary schools, respectively.

Wollman came to Wrangell from the western Alaska coastal community of Hooper Bay, where she was principal of the charter school.

Clark was assistant principal at Lathrop High School in Fairbanks.

Burr said both are adjusting to their new jobs quickly.

“We’re really excited,” Burr said. “(Wollman and Clark) are on the ground, already prepping for the shining faces coming in on the first day of school.”

In the classroom, the district will debut a new English-language arts curriculum, after the curriculum committee evaluated the district’s previously standing program. In recent years, the district has reevaluated a different subject’s curricular content to determine if each program requires any changes. Last year, for example, a new math curriculum was instituted.

The changes to the English curriculum come in the wake of the Alaska Reads Act, a 2022 state law that requires all students to show proficiency in reading by third grade.

Burr hopes the changes not only help Wrangell meet the state’s proficiency requirements, but that it inspires Wrangell students to continue reading long after they graduate.

“We want to make sure students have a reading path for their entire education career,” Burr said. “And we want students to be on a path for lifelong reading.”

On the physical side of things, Burr is excited about a handful of capital improvement projects in the works including a new roof for the middle school, repairs for the high school elevator, and a possible paint job for the elementary school.

Burr will also spend time this year conducting an internal review of the district, looking to identify strengths and weaknesses of the district's offerings, policies and practices that might not necessarily show themselves in standardized test scores.