Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage | |
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The 2024-25 school year has begun! Find information on school start times (Monday starts later), student transportation, mental health, student support, and more below.
Academies of Anchorage
Beginning this school year, all freshmen entering high school will begin a four-year career planning track designed to help prepare them for the workforce after graduation. Throughout the course of four years, students will be exposed to different career and industry professionals, with the option to select different vocational training courses in their Junior and Senior years. Each high school will offer different career and technical course specialties in areas such as construction, business, law and finance, engineering, public health, medicine, and more. In the coming years, all ASD high schoolers will enroll in the program.
| ASD Freshmen began their first year of Academies of Anchorage last week. |  | |
Moving to Middle
Also beginning this year, all 6th graders in ASD will move to middle school. Moving 6th graders to middle school will increase opportunities for students, including expanded course options such as higher level math and electives, extracurricular sports and activities, and counseling resources.
2023-24 School Year Schedule
On May 9, 2023, the Anchorage School Board approved changing school start times beginning with the 2024-25 school year (ASD Memorandum #141), giving the District and the community additional time to plan for the adjusted start times.
These new school start times align with students’ natural sleep patterns. Research indicates students will see an increase in alertness, improved cognitive functionality, increased memory retention, improved focus in the classroom, and more. It is anticipated that attendance rates will go up and absences will go down. For students that drive, it means they will be more rested and more alert traveling to and from our campuses.
You can find the full school start schedule below.
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Transportation
Transportation and bus route information is available on the ASD's website here.
Mental Health
The Mental Health and Student Supports Department works collaboratively with students, educators, administrators, families, and community partners to support the academic success and social-emotional well-being of students through a multi-tiered system of support.
To view services offered and more information, view the ASD's website here.
Safety
The Anchorage School District is committed to ensuring the safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors. ASD follows the response protocols established by the ASD School Board. School and district staff train yearly on emergency protocols and situation management and students take part in drills throughout each school year.
Please review more student safety information on ASD's website here.
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Last session, the Legislature failed a vote to override the Governor's veto of an education package that would've permanently increased funding for public schools in Alaska. Afterward, the Legislature approved a one-time funding boost of $175 million for the 2024-25 school year in order to avoid extensive teacher layoffs and program cuts. Unfortunately, the one-time funding is not provide the stability that many districts need to recruit and retain teachers or to offer curriculum and programming that prepares and inspires students.
The Anchorage School District was unable to fill several open elementary positions before the start of the school year. ASD leadership evaluated the status of unfilled positions across the district and moved teachers to new schools in order to avoid the most significantly oversized classrooms.
The Anchorage School Board meets regularly to discuss budgeting and plans for current and future school years. For archives of school board meetings and information about upcoming meetings, please visit ASD's School Board page here.
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Anchorage Police Department Changes
We were deeply saddened by the recent police shooting in Anchorage, resulting in the death of 16-year-old Easter Leafa. Leafa would've started her junior year at East High School last week. The incident marks the sixth officer-involved shooting in Anchorage since May, and the fourth resulting in death.
- On May 13th, police shot and killed Christopher Handy after reports that he was wielding a shotgun in West Anchorage.
- On June 1st, police shot and injured Kaleb Bourdukofsky following allegations that he had killed another man outside of a downtown bar.
- On June 3rd, officers shot and killed Tyler May outside of the Anchorage Senior Activities Center after he was reported shooting a gun in the air.
- On June 19th, a SWAT team fired into the home of Lisa Fordyce-Blair and killed her after she barricaded herself inside and fired shots at police officers.
- On July 8, police shot Daniel Dollison outside of a Circle K gas station after he was involved in a confrontation with another man and fired shots at officers. Dollison was hospitalized with injuries.
- On August 13th, police shot and killed Easter Leafa after her older sister called the police to report Leafa was threatening her with a knife at their home.
The State Office of Special Prosecutions found that officers involved in the shootings of Christopher Handy, Kaleb Bourdukofsky, and Tyler May were all justified in their use of force.
We are concerned with this recent rise in gun violence and police-involved killings. Several of the shootings are still under investigation, and it is uncertain why this summer has seen a spike in violence.
In response to these shootings, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and Police Chief Sean Case have announced a series of reforms to the Anchorage Police Department.
- An independent, third-party will investigate Easter Leafa's shooting, not the Anchorage Police Department's Internal Affairs.
- The Anchorage Municipal Attorney's office will oversee an independent investigation into APD's policies and procedures.
- The Anchorage Police Department is conducting its own investigation into the past 15 years of data on officer-involved shootings.
- The Department will create a community advisory board to incorporate community oversight and input.
These changes are a good start to understanding the reasons for the recent police shootings and reducing future incidents, and we will need to do more work in the months ahead. Fully staffing the Anchorage Police Department should be a priority to ensure that officers aren't overworked and community members can rely on our public safety resources in times of crisis.
Each police shooting is a tragedy for the community and takes a heavy toll on our public safety officers. Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted by these events.
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The Alaska Primary Election took place on Tuesday, August 20th. The Division of Elections has yet to certify the results as absentee ballots continue to come in, but most precincts have reported at 100%. With a small percentage of ballots left to count, the results are unlikely to have any significant changes. To review election results, please visit the Alaska Division of Election's website.
To check your voter registration status and to ensure you are eligible to vote in the November 5th General Election, please visit the Division's voter information page.
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Community Information & Events | |
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Volunteer to Assemble Outreach Kits
When: Monday, August 26th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM and every other Monday
Where: Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness Office, 3427 E Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK 99507
Looking to spread some kindness and make a difference in the lives of our unsheltered neighbors? Join the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness to assemble outreach kits for those forced to sleep outside. These kits include essentials like hygiene products, snacks, basic first aid, and more! To learn more and sign up, click here.
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Free Naloxone Training
When: Thursday, August 29th & the last Thursday of every month from 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Where: Mountain View Library, 126 Bragaw St, Anchorage, AK 99508
Learn how to use naloxone, a nasal spray that is free, easy to use, and can save the life of someone in distress from a heroin or opioid overdose. Complete the training and receive a free overdose rescue kit. If you live in Anchorage, come to the Mountain View Library the last Thursday of the month from 1:00 - 3:00 PM.
If you live outside of Anchorage or prefer Zoom, there are also Naloxone online video-conference-based trainings (held monthly the last Friday of every month online during two training sessions at 11:00 AM and again at 5:30 PM) For details, click here.
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Turnagain Pass Master Plan Virtual Open House
When: Tuesday, September 17th from 12:00 - 2:00 PM
Where: Virtual Open House, meeting link will be available on the project website prior to September 17th.
This project will develop a corridor master plan for the Turnagain Pass area. The corridor surrounding the Seward Highway from approximately MP 56 to MP 75 is seen as having high potential to offer a wide-array of recreation opportunities and this planning effort could develop a long-term recreation vision and goals for the area, research and analyze various options, develop initial site designs, and conduct environmental reviews, working towards a comprehensive suite of shovel-ready projects that support public recreation of the area while respecting and enhancing the highway for the major transportation route that it is.
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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CONTACT INFORMATION
(907) 465-4919
Sen.Matt.Claman@akleg.gov
State Capitol Bldg. Rm 429
Juneau, Alaska 99801
https://www.alaskasenate.org/matt-claman/
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CONTACT THE GOVERNOR
(907) 465-3500
550 West 7th Ave. Suite 1700
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
STATE OF ALASKA
State Info: (907) 269-5111
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CONTACT THE ADN
Write a Letter to the Editor
Submit your letter to the Anchorage Daily News via email or web form.
attn: Letters to the Editor
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