Education

Desiree Asuluk is one of five LKSD students to receive the Seal of Biliteracy this year.

Thirty-five students received diplomas this year, overcoming distance learning, a pandemic, and “senioritis” to become high school graduates.

LKSD is also lifting all restrictions on spectators for all events held in school gyms. There will be no capacity limits and no vaccination requirements for sporting events or graduation ceremonies.

“I think it gives a little longer for both languages to really flower, you know, bloom,” said Clarence Daniel, Lower Kuskokwim School District Board Chairman and a member of Ayaprun’s academic policy committee.

A proposed bill seeks to address high school dropout rates by putting the education plans in the hands of Tribes. Supporters say Tribal education compacts could lead to drastic improvement in education for Alaska Native communities.

While LKSD is going ahead with the design, it does not yet have the money to actually build the new school. It will be up to the state legislature to allocate funding in the state budget.

“Because of the numbers of staff that have been impacted by COVID, we have had to consider whether or not we could handle school safely,” said Ayaprun Elitnaurvik elementary principal Joshua Gill.

The changes could allow students and staff to return to school sooner after an infection or exposure to COVID-19.

Last summer, the Lower Kuskokwim School District began building the foundation for a new school in Napakiak. But in June, the district suddenly halted work.

LKSD Superintendent Kimberly Hankins wrote in an email on Jan. 10 that about 25 staff had yet to return to the Y-K Delta because their flights were canceled or delayed.