The Petersburg School Board will have its final regular meeting of the school year at 6 p.m. tonight in the middle and high school library. The board will announce five faculty resignations, including those of elementary school librarian Jill Nordtvedt Lenhard and high school math teacher Tom Thompson.
The board will also formally accept a donation for the Special Education program in honor of late Petersburg resident William K. Neumann, also known as “Swampy Creek Bill.” Neumann taught shop classes in the Petersburg School District for close to 20 years. He died in 2019 at the age of 83.
The board will use the donation to install an awning above the ramp that extends from the Rae C. Stedman Elementary School cafeteria to the main playground. They’ll also build a heated pathway along that route to protect students from the elements. Any remaining funds from the donation will be used to purchase special equipment to make the preschool classroom more accessible for individuals with disabilities.
The board will also look at an improvement plan for the elementary school, which received a special designation from Alaska’s accountability system in February. That designation is based on subpar academic performance among certain student groups.
In response, a committee of Petersburg School District administrators, teachers, and parents developed a three-year plan to boost student literacy. Their plan includes new instruction techniques and increased opportunities for students to interact with community members.
Petersburg’s School Board will meet this evening at 6 p.m. in the middle and high school library. KFSK will broadcast that live and will post the recording in our School Board Archive.
