The future looks bright for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. So says Sunni Hilts of Seldovia, school board vice president, and board member Liz Downing of Homer.
"I really see a good year for the year ahead, but with a lot of work," Hilts said, speaking for herself rather than as a member of the KPB school board. In November, Hilts also was elected to the AASB -- Association of Alaska School Boards -- board of directors.
"The leading school district in Alaska" is how Downing, in her fourth year on the KPB school board, characterizes the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.
Like Hilts, Downing sees a bright future for education on the peninsula. She points to the district's "high student achievement, improved funding now in statute, individualized professional development for our excellent teachers, administrators who are respected throughout the state and nationally, and continued choice for our students through expanded opportunities in our classrooms, through distance education, in performance or standards-based learning, and through our alternative, charter, small and large neighborhood schools."
Downing's term on the school board expires this year.
Funding -- as always -- is a major concern.
"I think everybody will be looking at the Legislature to see how they'll deal with the budget and looking at oil prices," Hilts said. "That will change everybody's perspective and won't look quite as hopeful as last year, but we still have a healthy surplus, we have a Legislature that's supportive of schools and we have a governor that's supportive of schools."
In addition, the district is fortunate to have a borough assembly that provides maximum financial support allowed by state formula.
"This is one of the few boroughs that does that and it is one of our biggest, most important positives to tell legislators," Hilts said. "They know we are funded to the cap and that makes them so much more receptive to working with us because they see we have borough-wide support."
The district has its work cut out for it in the year ahead.
"We know we can do more with staff. We know what we can do with some of the innovative ideas we can put in place because of the funding, and we will do it," she said. "We're already seeing exciting things happening in the school district."
Included in her future vision is an increased move toward standards-based programs.
"In standards-based, there are better options for credit recovery," Hilts said. "For example, if you don't pass a subject, you don't take the entire subject over; you take the area you didn't succeed in and show competency."
Offering a variety of teaching and learning methods, standards-based education makes it possible for students to demonstrate subject competency in ways they are most proficient.
"If they can demonstrate better with hands-on projects, they'll get to do that," Hilts said, adding that increased coordination between schools also is on the district's horizon.
Bright though it may be, 2009 may bring challenges in teacher recruitment and retention because of changes to the district's retirement system, according to Hilts. Transportation and energy costs also pose a hurdle.
"We're on track to be the most efficient school district possible, but the cost of energy will be huge," Hilts forecast.
Enrollment is a frequently changing variable. For the past several years the district has shown a 2 percent district-wide decline. According to enrollment numbers prepared by the district in December, the district's current 9,266 enrollment is a 21-student increase from the 2007-2008 school year. Similarly, enrollment in southern Kenai Peninsula schools reflects a 21-student increase since last year:
* Chapman School: 92 to 94 (2);
* Fireweed Academy: 76 to 73 (-3);
* Homer Flex: 33 to 35 (2);
* Homer High School: 428 to 407 (-21);
* Homer Middle School: 197 to 183 (-14);
* Kachemak Selo School: 94 to 93 (-1);
* McNeil Canyon Elementary School: 108 to 137 (29);
* Nanwalek School: 63 to 70 (7);
* Nikolaevsk School: 55 to 74 (19);
* Ninilchik School: 177 to 164 (-13);
* Paul Banks Elementary School: 219 to 213 (-6);
* Port Graham School: 25 to 20 (-5);
* Razdolna School: 39 to 49 (10);
* Susan B. English School: 62 to 59 (-3);
* Voznesenka School: 115 to 117 (2);
* West Homer Elementary School: 240 to 256 (16).
"We did get families moving up from Outside into the Kenai Peninsula to stay with other families," Hilts said. "We also are seeing people moving from the Mat-Su and Anchorage areas because they like our district."
Connections, KPBSD's K-12 home-school program, adds to the choices offered peninsula families and students.
"We try to provide as many options as we can for kids in this district, making it easy for kids to take Connections and also be part of a neighborhood school. We're really working for that to be a seamless kind of operation," Hilts said, pointing to Connections personnel -- administrators, faculty and counselors -- available to work with students.
Overall, Hilts, whose term on the KPBSD board expires in 2010, is positive about the year ahead. It is an attitude she has maintained during her tenure on the board.
"I'm always upbeat about the district," Hilts said.
