Yukon-Koyuk School District's
Operational Handbook for the Voluntary Public School Choice (VPSC) Grant
VIII. School Site Descriptions
The Yukon-Koyukuk School District (YKSD) is within the Yukon-Koyukuk Census area, an area that is contained in the Yukon and Koyukuk River Valleys. Overall, the District encompasses nearly 65,000 square miles. The total population in the area is just over 6,000 people. The YKSD serves nine villages. The estimated K-12 enrollment for 2007-2008 is 313 students.
Each location's school is a major gathering place in its community, and teachers are encouraged to participate in community events. The community involvement in each school varies by site and on the type of event. All school classes are multi-age. The larger schools may have two grades in one class, and the smaller sites may have 3-5 grades in one class. In addition to multi-age, the skill levels in each grade may vary from far below grade level to far above grade level.
The school district is governed by a regional Board of Education. They meet seven times a year, with meetings rotating between the villages and Fairbanks. Each school has a Community Schools Committee, which governs local decision s such as hiring/firing the support staff, school calendar, and event planning. Support staff at each site varies, depending upon size. Itinerant teaching staff travel to most of the villages. The counselors often serve 2-3 sites. Some sites have an on-site special education teacher. The special education coordinator serves the remaining villages.
A teacher specialist, a speech pathologist, a technology coordinator and a language coordinator serve all sites. An on-site technology teacher is trained to provide technological assistance. The administrators (Superintendent, Directors and Coordinators) travel to the sites on regular basis. The media specialist is available to send materials out to sites. Each site has two-way video-conferencing capabilities. Biology, art, and Native language courses are offered each semester. These courses are taught primarily by the distance delivery instructor, but they usually require some on-site teaching assistance. It is possible to travel by road to Minto and Manley Hot Springs. The other seven villages can only be reached by air or river travel (boats in the summer and snow machines or dog sleds in the winter).
Allakaket School (Allakaket)
Allakaket population: 94
K-12 student enrollment: 44
Teachers: 7
Allakaket School is located on the Koyukuk River. There are two villages — Allakaket, predominantly Koyukon Athabascan and Alatna, predominantly Kobuk Inupiaq Eskimo. Alatna is located 3 miles downriver on the opposite side of the river from Allakaket. The old townsite is near the school. A new townsite is located about two miles away from the school.
There are four classrooms: grades K-1, 2-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The principal teaches a couple of the courses. The teacher aides have been with the district for several years.
Johhny Oldman School (Hughes)
Hughes population: 68
K-12 student enrollment: 14
Teachers: 2
The Johnny Oldman School is located on the Koyukuk River in Hughes. The community is predominantly Koyukon Athabascan. The school is in the middle of the community, with close access to the airport, post office, and store.
There are two classrooms: grades K- 5, 6 -12. The principal also has a full teaching load. The teacher aides have been with the district for a year or more. The teaching staff is new to the community. The secondary classroom houses the computer lab, the library, kitchen, and video conferencing equipment. Students go home for lunch.
Jimmy Huntington School (Huslia)
Huslia, population: 259
K-12 student enrollment: 76
Teachers: 8
The Jimmy Huntington School is located on the Koyukuk River in Huslia. The community is predominantly Koyukon Athabascan. The school is located in the middle of the community, the post office is near the school, and the airport is two miles away.
There are six classrooms: grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 (two). Most of the elementary teaching staff have been there for numerous years. Except for one teacher, the secondary staff will all be new. The teacher aides have also been with this school for several years. Students go home for lunch.
Ella B. Vernetti School (Koyukuk)
Koyukuk population: 88
K-12 student enrollment: 10
Teachers: 2
The Ella B. Vernetti School is located in Koyukuk, which is below the confluence of the Koyukuk River with the Yukon River. The community is predominantly Koyukon Athabascan.
There are two classrooms: grades K-4, 5-10. The principal has a full teaching load. There is also additional space upstairs for more classrooms. The teacher and teacher aides have been there for several years. There is one store, and the post office and airport is fairly close. Students go home for lunch.
Andrew K. Demoski School (Nulato)
Nulato population: 290
K-12 student enrollment: 56
Teachers: 8
The Andrew K. Demoski School is located in Nulato, which is on the Yukon River. Nulato is predominantly Lower Koyukon Athabascan. There are two townsites, the old (downtown and adjacent to the river) and the new (up on the hill), which are about two miles away from each other. The majority of the population lives in the new townsite, and the school is located in the old townsite. The airport is one mile away, and there is school bus service.
There are seven classrooms: grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12 (two). The principal does not have a teaching load. Most of the K-8 teachers have been there for numerous years. The teacher aides have also been there numerous years. Students eat lunch at school.
Kaltag School (Kaltag)
Kaltag population: 199
K-12 student enrollment: 32
Teachers: 4
The Kaltag School is located in Kaltag, which is on the Yukon River. Kaltag is predominantly Lower Koyukon Athabascan. The school is located fairly close to the store, post office, and the airport.
There are three classrooms: grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. The principal teaches some of the courses. The teachers and teacher aides have been there for numerous years. The school was renovated in 2004-05. Students go home for lunch.
Merreline A. Kangas School (Ruby)
Ruby population: 183
K-12 student enrollment: 30
Teachers: 5
The Merreline A. Kangas School is located in Ruby, which is on the Yukon River. The community is predominantly Koyukon Athabascan.
There are four classrooms: grades K-2, 3-6, 7-8, and 9-12. Most of the teaching staff and teacher aides have been there for numerous years. The principal teaches a couple of the courses and shares a classroom with another teacher. The post office and the stores are located down the hill, about a mile away. Ruby maintains a hot lunch program.
Minto School (Minto)
Minto population: 186
K-12 student enrollment: 40
Teachers: 5
The Minto School is located in Minto, which is on the Tolovana River, and off of the Elliot Highway (3 hours from Fairbanks). The community is predominantly Lower Tanana Athabascan.
There are six classrooms: grades K-1, 2-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12 (two). The principal may teach a course. The elementary teachers have been there numerous years and the secondary teachers for 2-5 years. The teacher aides have been there for numerous years. Most of the teachers have automobiles, which provide easy access to the stores, post office, and community hall. Students walk to the Minto Lodge for lunch.
Manley Hot Springs Gladys Dart School (Manley Hot Springs)
Manley Hot Springs population: 76
K-12 student enrollment: 10
Teachers: 2
The Manley Hot Springs Gladys Dart School is located on the Tanana River and at the end of the Elliot Highway (4 hours from Fairbanks). The community is predominantly Caucasian. Most community members own automobiles, so access to the local services is fairly easy.
There are two classrooms: grades K-4 and 5-12. The teaching staff and teacher aides have been there numerous years. The principal has a full teaching load. Students eat bag lunches at school, and there is school bus service.
Alaska Independent Distance Education (AIDE) Program
Another aspect of YKSD's expanded choice program is the inclusion of the Alaska Independent Distance Education (AIDE) Program. The mission of AIDE, in active partnership with its village and national members, is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to be contributing members of their family, community, and society.
AIDE online courses are designed to meet the needs of high school correspondence students, who have struggled with traditional courses. They are specifically designed to meet the needs of all students: self-motivated, high-level learners, students with lower reading levels, students without strong organization skills, and students with motivational issues. The courses were developed for all those who do not meet the cookie-cutter definition of an ordinary high school student. The online assignments are short, fast-paced and well-organized, which leads to quick successes and high motivation. The hands-on investigations included in AIDE's Biology, Physical Science and Earth Science courses offer students a wealth of choices and allow students to be creative, inquisitive, and great problem solvers. AIDE especially targets students at-risk of dropping out and provides credit recovery for young adults who have previously dropped out (under 20 years of age) to complete graduation requirements.