LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead [ ... ]
This Week in Girls on the Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Funding Measure Hailed by Sitka Official
By ABIGAIL BLISS
Sentinel Staff Writer
As school districts across Alaska scramble to find adequate funding, a new bill to increase the state’s Base Student Allocation holds the potential to provide some relief.
Two members of the majority coalition in the Alaska House, Democrats Les Gara and Harriet Drummond, introduced legislation Friday to increase the BSA – the amount of money provided annually to school districts based on their enrollment – by $100 per student.
The bill is co-sponsored by five other Democratic members of the coalition: Chris Tuck, Ivy Spohnholz and Andy Josephson of Anchorage; Scott Kawasaki of Fairbanks; and Justin Parish of Juneau.
Gara, the bill’s lead sponsor, emphasized in a statement Friday the importance of the proposed funding to students’ success and teacher retention.
“School funding cuts are demoralizing teachers and parents to the point they are leaving the state,” he said. “We can’t shortchange our youth and deprive them of opportunities they need to succeed. Sunday, I met a teacher whose science class went from 28 to 32 students this year. The increase is undermining her ability to help individual students.”
In Sitka, School District Superintendent Mary Wegner said that, if enacted, the increase would profoundly benefit the district. With a current enrollment of 1,257 students, the increase would amount to some $125,700 in additional funding.
Wegner said it would go a long way toward enabling the Sitka School District to avoid cutting teaching positions, and help the district close in on its projected $2.3 million deficit.
“The largest part of our funding comes from the state, so that would be a huge benefit for us,” she said. “It could help us keep teachers that we’re likely going to be losing with a $2.3 million deficit.”
She emphasized that districts across the state are in the same dire financial straits as Sitka.
“School districts everywhere are at a breaking point,” she said. “Nobody has reserves anymore. Everyone is as efficient as they can be. There needs to be new revenue ... It’s hurting.”
The House Education Committee held an information hearing this morning about the need to increase the BSA and invited testimony on the subject.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.