Senior Kaya Duguay replaces JD Murphy as the Sitka School Board’s student member. Duguay demonstrated early acumen for the job. (KCAW photo/Robert Woolsey)
Even though municipal elections are a few weeks away, the Sitka School Board seated its newest member Wednesday night (9-11-14).
Wegner: …and that I will faithfully discharge my duties,
Duguay: …and that I will faithfully discharge my duties,
Wegner: …as a member of the School Board of the City and Borough of Sitka.
Duguay: …as a member of the School Board of the City and Borough of Sitka.
Wegner: Welcome, Kaya Duguay.
Duguay: Thank you.
That’s Sitka school superintendent Mary Wegner swearing in senior Kaya Duguay as the student representative on the school board.
The Sitka school board is comprised of five members elected by the public and one student. Duguay is herself elected by students: she’s the vice-president of the Sitka High School student body.
She takes the seat vacated by JD Murphy, who graduated in May.
Duguay has already attended several board meetings and activities. She participated in an all-day goal-setting session with the full board last month.
Duguay did not wait to be asked to contribute to her first full meeting. In a discussion of the district’s priorities for legislative funding in the coming year, the board considered how to move forward with support for the so-called Alaska 1:1 Digital Initiative. The $3.9-million dollar request would put a digital device in the hands of every schoolchild in the state.
Duguay wondered where teachers stood on the issue.
“Do we have a gauge on staff attitude for that? Have there been any chances to reach out and get feedback from them?”
Superintendent Wegner said that the district was tracking the interest of teachers in technology, but had not fully vetted the Digital Learning Initiative.
“We do surveys annually with our staff to find out what their proficiency rate is, but we haven’t looked at it because we haven’t been serious about, Are we at that point? I think we would see a broad range of people ready for that — some anxious to go to it, and other who still need professional development and some support in the process.”
The Alaska Association of School Boards is stepping back from statewide leadership on the initiative, according to board president Lon Garrison. He recommended finding a way to refocus the statewide request into a legislative appropriation with direct impact on Sitka.
Board member Jen Robinson suggested that the request be modified to read “more technology funding.” Other members seemed willing to move in that direction.
The school district’s legislative priorities will appear as an action item on the board’s agenda at its regular meeting in October. At the top of the list will be $1.6-million to purchase instructional materials for the new math and language arts curriculum.
One other item of business Wednesday: The school board adopted a resolution in support of including a road across Baranof Island in the Southeast Alaska Transportation Plan. The resolution was drafted by member Jen Robinson, who is also the director of the Sitka Chamber of Commerce.
Robinson cited research demonstrating the importance of participation in sports for improving school performance for some students.
Improved ferry service — which is the ultimate goal of building a road across the island — should improve access for students to competition with schools in other communities.
