Sorted by date Results 651 - 675 of 789
Petersburg schools had, overall, a clean audit on a good fiscal year, which ended June 30. The school was able to set aside a healthy amount, budgeting for future maintenance around a law that capped reserve limits at 10 percent of schools’ expenses. “In our opinion, the financial statements are fairly stated in all material respects,” said Eric Campbell, a partner in the international services firm BDO, which completed the school’s audit. “That’s a clean or unmodified opinion. That’s what you want. (Finance Director Karen Quitslund) does a gre...
It has been a warm start to winter inside Petersburg Elementary schools, and the comfort and cost-saving benefits of the building's remodel continue to be realized as the first round of bills roll in well under budget as work wraps up on the building's renovation. The project began in April of this year at a cost of $2.3 million. It was designed by Juneau architectural firm, Jensen Yorba Lott and installed by Alaska Community Contractors. "They're in the final stages of the punch list for things... Full story
Petersburg youths wishing to spend a year overseas should begin looking to filling out an application with the borough’s Rotary Club soon. “We are looking for high school students who are freshmen or sophomores to apply to be a Rotary exchange student and go for their sophomore or junior year,” said Dave Berg, Rotary member. “These kids will be selected here soon and go out on exchange August of 2015 for approximately 10 months to one of 20,220 different countries we exchange with.” While many y...
A few issues sparked a lively discussion among assembly members and the public at Monday’s regular meeting. Four residents spoke out against the use of herbicides and pesticides to be sprayed by the state in the area. The assembly discussed the issue and then voted to draft an ordinance that would take a position on spraying in the Borough. It will be modeled after a similar ordinance from the community of Skagway. Mayor Mark Jensen said that he’s still working to secure a date for a public community meeting regarding state regulations on the...
Petersburg schools' aging kitchen continues to cook up new headaches for administrators as they continue to work towards securing funding for a much needed complete remodel. This time, it was the refrigeration unit, a free-standing near-antique of more than 30 years that bit the dust for good on Friday, necessitating the premature purchase of two other free-standing units to ensure the school continues to serve quality food to students. "We knew it was a matter of time to when our refrigeration...
Both candidates to represent Petersburg and other communities in House District 35, Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tompkins and Republican Steven Samuelson, had an easy time arriving at the ballot box this year. Both candidates ran through the primaries unopposed in their respective parties and both are veteran campaigners, with Samuelson making another run at a legislative seat after a defeat in 2010's Republican Primary to Peggy Wilson. Kreiss-Tompkins is the closest to an incumbent, prior to...
Borough residents will have to look elsewhere for school happenings and movie times than the usual spot along Haugen Drive, as, come the construction season of 2015, a large electronic sign advertising events will be relocated about a block away. Rick Dormer, principal of Petersburg High School, said the school and state had something of an understanding on the billboard when it was first installed. "They have a letter saying it's O.K. putting the sign there and using that land," Dormer said,...
Petersburg Assembly Members finalized the 2015 Capital Projects list for the borough, looking to primarily address infrastructure upgrades in the top items. “The borough departments, as well as the school and hospital, have reviewed the 2015 Capital Needs list and have provided updates to the list,” Mayor Mark Jensen said, adding that Borough Manager Stephen Giesbrecht had recommended keeping the list smaller at 10 to 12 items to, hopefully, increase legislative attention. The list of Capital Projects remained largely unchanged, shuffling only... Full story
Just behind Rae C. Stedman Elementary School a large garden teeming with life offers students and community members a new classroom for learning. The School + Community Garden is comprised of a greenhouse, rows of raised beds that convert into hoop houses, a tool shed and planters fashioned from tires, crab pots and gutters now used to grow perennials, pole beans and strawberries. The children's touches abound in the garden from hand-painted signs to the dinosaur figurines poured into round...
In their first regular board meeting since the school year kicked off, Petersburg school board members on Tuesday discussed new state-required college assessment testing, changes to the advanced placement (AP) grading scale at the high school, and this year's increased student enrollment. New this year, all juniors at Petersburg High School will be required and funded by the state to take a college or career readiness assessment. The state endorses the ACT, SAT and WorkKeys assessment. Principal Rick Dormer said that the implementation of the...
The Petersburg Borough municipal election will be held Oct. 7. Voters will decide who should fill the positions of 37 board and commission slots, as well as weigh in on seven ballot measures. In the coming weeks, the Pilot will publish candidate profiles with information about candidates and their responses about why they're running. This week we profile school board candidates Sarah P. Holmgain, Megan Litster and Jay Lister who are running to fill the board's three open seats and hospital...
September 12, 1914 – The Petersburg school began the term last Tuesday with a full attendance. Forty-eight pupils were enrolled, approximately ten more than attended last year. The addition of Miss. Edna Miller on the staff of teachers, is a great help and both Miss Mitchell and Miss Blyth express much satisfaction at the new order of things. September 8, 1939 – At the first meeting of the month Tuesday the City Council passed the new ordinance fixing a license fee on automatic amusements games. A fee of $50 a year was established by the cou...
Three Petersburg School Board seats are up for grabs during this year’s Borough election and all remain vacant, though the three incumbent board members said they would run for their seats again at Tuesday's meeting. Vice-President Sarah Holmgrain, who has been on the board since 2008, said she would like to run again for a 3-year term. Board member Megan Litster, who was appointed to a vacant seat in May, said she would like to run for the 2-year seat. And Jay Lister, also a board member since May, said he could run for the 1-year term. A...
The beginning of the new school year has brought an old debate to the fore, of whether or not school nurses could provide pre-enrollment physical examinations for students. During the Petersburg School Board meeting on Tuesday, Board President Jean Ellis brought up the debate over who the state will allow to perform pre-enrollment physical examinations. According to Alaska State law, school districts require incoming students must receive physical examinations and parents, or guardians, are responsible for paying for the exams. The 61 year-old...
Patricia "Pat" Lee Walden (Ray) of Sedro-Woolley, Wash., died suddenly on Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Mount Vernon, Wash. Pat was the first of three children born to Lee Ray and Shirley Menne. She was born on August 28, 1955 in Redding, Calif. Pat grew up in the Concrete and Newhalem area of Washington State and graduated from Concrete High School in 1973. In 1978, Pat married Douglas Lawrenson of Burlington, Wash. During their marriage they had three children. At the time of their marriage,... Full story
New Petersburg School District Superintendent Lisa Stroh has been in town for just more than a week and is busy picking up where previous PSD Superintendent Rob Thomason left off. "I talked with Dr. Thomason ahead of time so the transition is really smooth," Stroh said. "He left me with a list of unfinished things to do. The main things we need to do to move forward is the state mandated teacher evaluation system and curriculum alignment." District officials can choose from three evaluation... Full story
This October’s municipal ballot is the largest Petersburg voters have seen for many years, according to Petersburg Borough Clerk Kathy O’Rear. Thirty-six elected positions and seven ballot propositions, pending assembly approval, are on the ballot. In a report to the Borough Assembly, O’Rear wrote in regard to the need for election workers. “A push to recruit new workers in 2009 to train for future elections failed,” O’Rear wrote. “The numerous letters and notices we have recently placed seeking new election workers have largely gone unanswer...
Ravens Roost Trail opens To the Editor: On Monday evening my dogs and I were able to enjoy our first “official” walk up the completed first leg of Petersburg’s brand new Raven Trail, located between Sandy Beach Park and Ravens Roost Trail. As luck would have it we bumped into the project’s manager Brad Hunter, USFS Petersburg Ranger District Recreation /Wilderness Staff Officer, as he and his wife Sharon made his final inspection and had the opportunity to personally thank him for a job well done. Most of us realize it takes years of dedicat...
Former Petersburg Community School District Maintenance Director Tye Petersen, 46, plead guilty last week to Distribution, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography—three counts that carry up to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count. Petersen was arrested last October after federal investigators and local police conducted a search warrant of his home and electronic devices. Investigators found email attachments as well as CDs containing images and videos of young children e...
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved $137,538 in repairs to the failing parks and recreation HVAC system. Parks and Recreation Director Donnie Hayes said the repairs would help his department save money in the long run through energy savings. The pneumatic controls of the more than 25 year-old system are leaking, and many of the springs and actuators that assist the system's air pump have lost tension, causing too much heat to escape the system. “That compressor pumps air to an actuator and tells that actuator 'you need to o...
Keep moving, Petersburg To the Editor: Petersburg Mental Health staff is grateful for the generous people that made the second annual Pedometer Challenge happen. We couldn't have done it without Mark Kubo’s amazing tracking skills, Erin Michael and Colleen Jaeger at Public Health serving as the distribution center, local businesses (Hammer and Wikan and Skate of Gear) for their contribution, and the Petersburg Indian Association for providing amazing grand prizes. Thanks to you and to all the participants. Petersburg's entire step count during...
Outgoing Petersburg School District Superintendent Rob Thomason attended his last school board meeting Tuesday evening. He had these final words for the board and the public: "It's been a great five years in Petersburg," Thomason said. "It's been the highlight of my career. It truly has. As my wife and I have reminisced, we always say we wished we would have found this opportunity ten years sooner. It's been good, and I think the district is in good hands with the principals and the director of... Full story
June 13, 1914 – Last Tuesday evening, immediately after the adjournment of the firemen's meeting, nearly every man in town who was not otherwise occupied assembled at the Fire Hall for the purpose of devising ways and means for the celebration of the coming fourth. Enthusiasm ran high and, if kept up, Petersburgers and visitors will witness the greatest fourth of July celebration in the history of the town. It was suggested that everybody be appointed a committee of one and invite out-of-town friends to join in the festivities of the day. J...
Despite fears this winter of dipping into its reserves, the Petersburg School Board unanimously approved a balanced budget for the 2014/2015 school year without spending from reserve funds. Petersburg School District Finance Director Karen Quitslund presented the budget to the school board last week. She outlined several budget considerations including recent legislation passed during this spring session that increased the base student allocation (BSA) by $150, which brings total funding per student to $5,830. Petersburg schools will have an an... Full story
Petersburg High School seniors are graduating next Tuesday in the high school gym. Petersburg School District teacher Sue Harden is retiring this year and will be the honored speaker during the ceremony. Among the many highlights at the event, the school’s band and choir will perform and Class Historian Fran Abbott will provide a history of the class. Petersburg High School and Mitkof Middle School Principal Rick Dormer said the senior class tends to set a tone for the school’s climate each year. This year’s class has created a quieter and c...
