FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
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By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Gray, McNichol Exchange Views on Schools
By BRIELLE SCHAEFFER
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two very different candidates for Sitka School Board weighed in on funding, curriculum and extracurricular activities at a Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday.
Incumbent Jennifer McNichol believes the school district is doing a good job providing education and opportunities to children.
Ed Gray, her opponent in the race for the single seat on the board to be filled in the Oct. 4 election, said he thinks the whole system needs to be overhauled.
“I’m going to continue to work to represent local control in schools,” said Gray. “Standardized tests are not education to me.”
Chamber board member Mandy Odenheimer moderated the noontime forum with the two candidates in the Oct. 4 election for the one open seat on the School Board. McNichol is a pediatrician at SEARHC and Gray is a commercial fisherman.
McNichol was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board last year, and is now seeking a full term. She said the district needs to consider all options as state funding cuts come down. Bigger class sizes should be on the table, she said, as well as possible consolidation of student activities.
“We have to minimize cuts that affect students directly,” she said. “We are not a business, we are a school district.”
Research doesn’t show that a low teacher-to-student ratio makes kids learn any better, she said.
“We are legally required to provide education to kids,” McNichol said.
That means providing classrooms, teachers, materials and facilities, she said. Referring to the likelihood of continued local and state cuts to education, she said, “Anything that’s not legally mandated needs to be on the table.”
Gray said he opposes more funding going to public schools until the state reforms education.
“It’s a no-win situation where our educational dollars are getting drained,” he said.
He said he is against what he calls the “federalizing and socializing” of school districts with the Common Core standards.
Gray said he is more concerned about the national trend of going “teacher-less,” or having employees who aren’t certified than he is about bigger class sizes.
The candidates also tackled an audience question on consolidating Sitka and Pacific high schools to save money.
McNichol spoke against combining the schools.
“Enrollment has not fallen nearly enough to make that an option,” she said. “Pacific High has an important mission.”
Gray was not sure about the need for two buildings, however.
“I know that Pacific High graduates children,” he said. “Is that good enough to keep it? I don’t know.”
They were also asked about celebrating Christmas in schools.
Gray said he “felt strongly” about having it. McNichol said that while she loves Christmas music the district needs to be inclusive to students who don’t celebrate the Christian holiday.
“We do need to be aware that this is a public district and all students are part of the district,” she said.
Gray summed up his platform in his closing remarks:
“If you believe in local control and a parent’s right to oversee the upbringing and education of children vote for me,” he said.
As the incumbent, McNichol said she wants to continue serving.
“We work together as a board,” she said. “We’re not a bunch of individuals with individual agendas that can’t be parlayed into a group decision. I don’t think education is going to hell in a hand basket. It’s not perfect yet, but I want to be part of making those decisions.”
The Chamber held a forum for Assembly candidates last week, and will have one on mayoral candidates next Wednesday.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....