School board rejects motion to rescind repurposing vote after weeks of public comment; approves relocation option for German immersion school

Anchorage School Board members voted down a motion to rescind their March 4, 2025, adoption of ASD Memorandum 106, which contained the district’s repurposing recommendations, by a 4-3 margin on March 18. Later in the meeting the board approved ASD Memorandum 128, authorizing the superintendent to relocate the district’s German immersion charter program to 8427 Lake Otis Parkway if the school’s academic policy committee requests the move; the board also adopted an amendment clarifying that the action does not remove priority status previously given to that program under the rightsizing process.

Why it matters: The votes followed more than an hour of public comment in which parents, teachers and charter-school representatives urged the board to reverse or revisit its earlier repurposing decision. Several speakers said the board’s March 4 action would force multiple school moves, increase rental costs for a charter program that is currently leasing private space, and reflected favoritism toward another charter program. The board’s final votes keep options open for relocating the German immersion program while preserving the district’s broader rightsizing timetable.

Board chair President Holloman opened the discussion after a lengthy public-comment period that included repeated calls to “rescind memorandum 106” and a formal motion to do so. Member Donnelly made the motion to rescind; the motion was seconded but lacked the two-thirds threshold for immediate rescission without prior notice. After limited debate, the roll call produced a 4-3 outcome against rescission. President Holloman announced, “By a vote of 4 to 3, the motion fails.”

Following the failed rescind motion, the board took up ASD Memorandum 128. The memorandum authorizes the superintendent to relocate the German immersion school from its current address to 8427 Lake Otis Parkway “should that request be made from their academic policy committee,” and extends that authorization through a five‑year waiver granted by the Anchorage Fire Marshal (ASD Memorandum 132). Member Jacobs offered — and the board adopted — an amendment to make explicit that approval of Memorandum 128 “does not satisfy the priority status” the board previously assigned to that program under the December 17 rightsizing directive. The amended motion passed on a roll-call vote.

Public testimony: Dozens of parents and school representatives spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period. Danielle Kalseth, a Rilke community parent, told the board, “I am here to ask you to rescind memorandum 106,” and later said she felt “disappointed and distrustful” of the board’s process. Rochelle Sanchez said her daughter was ordered to remove a traditional head covering at school and urged the board to address discrimination; many speakers tied facility and funding concerns to students’ instructional stability and school budgets.

Board members’ positions: Members who supported rescission cited the administration’s recommendation, fiscal analysis, and the immediate lease expiration facing the German immersion program. Members who opposed rescission said the board must balance the needs of multiple charter programs, that revoking a prior vote without notice is procedurally fraught, and that the rightsizing process would continue this fall to address long-term facility allocations.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to rescind board action adopting ASD Memorandum 106 (mover: Member Donnelly). Outcome: failed, 4-3. - Approval of consent agenda (routine items). Outcome: approved, 7-0. - Student reinstatement (ASD incident 1352947). Outcome: approved, 6-0 (as announced by the board following an executive-session briefing). - Naming: Willow Crest Gymnasium to Leroy C. Jones Gymnasium (ASD Memorandum 1120). Outcome: approved, 7-0. - ASD Memorandum 128 (relocation authorization for German immersion school to 8427 Lake Otis Parkway, contingent on APC request; extends waiver described in ASD Memorandum 132). Outcome: approved as amended, unanimous on roll call.

What’s next: The relocation authorized by Memorandum 128 does not by itself move the school; the school’s academic policy committee would need to request the change and the district would implement the move pending any remaining logistical work. The board also signaled it will continue rightsizing work in the coming months to align facility decisions with budget constraints and program needs.

Quotes drawn from the record (selected): - “I am here to ask you to rescind memorandum 106,” — Danielle Kalseth, Rilke parent, public comment. - “This board publicly prioritized one school over another despite facts standing against such a decision,” — Elaine Squire, public comment. - “This adoption of ASD Memorandum 128 does not satisfy the priority status given to Roca Schul German Immersion School and ASD Memorandum 106 related to buildings which may become available via future board approved rightsizing proposals,” — Member Jacobs (motion to amend Memorandum 128).

Ending: The board’s votes kept in place its March 4 repurposing action but allowed a narrowly defined path for the German immersion program to relocate if its APC requests the Lake Otis site. The broader rightsizing conversation will continue this fall as the district seeks to match a smaller student population with a still-large building inventory.