The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education recorded several formal actions during its Oct. 22 regular meeting, including officer elections, approval of the agenda and consent calendar, acceptance of the superintendent’s resignation with an amended last day and approval of a certified employee's request for a year of leave without pay.

Votes and outcomes (at a glance):

- Board organization (nominations and ballots): Catherine Tatsuta elected board president; Melissa Reed elected vice president; Ali Ginter elected clerk/treasurer. (Ballots were distributed and results announced by the clerk.)

- Agenda approval: Motion to approve the agenda for the Oct. 22, 2025 regular meeting — PASSED, roll call 8–0.

- Consent calendar: Motion to approve the consent calendar for Oct. 22, 2025 (routine personnel, minutes and claims as listed in the packet) — PASSED, roll call 8–0.

- Superintendent resignation: Motion to accept Superintendent Ford Slack’s resignation. The board amended the motion to extend the effective resignation date to Nov. 14, 2025 (an amendment that passed 8–0). After amendment, the motion to accept the resignation as amended passed 8–0. The superintendent agreed to remain in her role through Nov. 14 to assist transition and logistics.

- Work session / interim superintendent search: The board voted to enter a work session with KLO representatives to discuss interim leadership needs and the search process — PASSED, roll call 8–0. The board convened the work session immediately following the regular meeting and subsequently formed a small ad‑hoc subcommittee (board president plus two members) to engage KLO and report back.

- Leave without pay (personnel): After an executive session, the board voted to approve a certified district employee’s request for a year of leave without pay for fiscal year 2026–27 — PASSED, roll call 7–0 (seven board members voted following recusal/absence rules described in the meeting).

Why it matters: The acceptance of the superintendent's resignation and the creation of an interim leadership process are the most consequential items for ongoing district operations; the board held a work session with KLO and later formed a small subcommittee to pursue interim staffing options and to return recommendations to the full board. Several other votes (agenda and consent calendar) were routine but necessary to advance the meeting.

Next steps identified in the meeting: the board created a small ad‑hoc group to work with KLO on interim staffing options and asked staff to prepare budget and staffing analyses that will inform short‑term hires and the FY26–27 budget process.

Ending: The board conducted an executive session on a personnel leave request and then resumed public session to record the formal vote approving the leave without pay.