Enrique Pérez de la Rosa, KCAW, Author at KCAW

Proposed budget cuts a ‘disaster’ for Sitka schools, education leaders say

The cuts Governor Mike Dunleavy proposed to education funding Wednesday are deep. His proposed budget does away with about 25 percent of K-12 funding and cuts the University of Alaska system’s funding by 41 percent. Those numbers have caused education leaders in Sitka to worry.

Ahead of cuts, school board asks for community priorities

The Sitka School Board is worried that proposed cuts in the Alaska state budget will force further cuts in the district budget. That’s after low enrollment projections drove the board to make cuts this year to school libraries and counseling services. Now, they’re asking community members for feedback through an online survey on which programs to prioritize as the district tightens its belt.

Pacific High teacher leads pupils to Python

Eric Matthes helps Pacific High students understand the universe through math and science. Outside...

Young Sitkans aim to establish local Teen Center

Pacific High senior Killian Detemple, left, posted flyers around Sitka alongside other teens...

Sitka High School evacuates after bomb threat hoax

A bomb threat at Sitka High School late Wednesday morning turned out to be a hoax. According to the Sitka School District, the building was evacuated immediately after staff received the threat at 11:30 a.m. The police and fire departments responded shortly after and ensured the gymnasium was safe. Superintendent Mary Wegner visited the school to assess the situation.

Sitkans in Women’s March call attention to murdered and missing indigenous women

About three-hundred Sitkans joined the Women’s March late Saturday morning, some with picket signs and a few wearing emblematic knitted pink hats of marches past. However, nearly all in attendance were clad in red in solidarity with missing and murdered indigenous women in the United States and around the globe.

Sitka High design class marries tradition and technology in student paddle carving project

Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska have carved wood paddles and other works of art using tools and methods developed over thousands of years. But that’s not to say this art form is incompatible with new technology. Students at Sitka High School are combining it with computer design software typically used by engineers.

Holiday stress can exacerbate domestic violence, advocates say

While Sitkans are counting down the days to the winter holiday, local advocates for victims of domestic violence are getting ready to work overtime. What is supposed to be a season of joy can actually increase the risk of abuse for many reasons.

The troubling rise in domestic violence over the holidays

Peg Blumer, with Sitkans Against Family Violence, and Sitka Police sergeant Gary Cranford say that the rise in domestic violence is noticeable around the holidays. Financial stress, family demands, and other factors can contribute to emotional abuse -- and even physical abuse.

Pacific High carving class brings serenity to students

Every Friday, Pacific High School students trek beyond the walls of their classrooms to Sitka National Historical Park to carve traditional paddles just as indigenous Alaskans to have done in Southeast for thousands of years. Often, they do so in silence as they focus on giving form to the paddles using traditional methods.