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Public backlash over school restructuring and landslide safety dominates Ketchikan school board meeting
Summary
Hundreds of residents, parents and students urged the board to halt a district restructuring plan and cited last week's landslide as a concrete reason to preserve neighborhood schools. Speakers also criticized district communication and leadership turnover.
KETCHIKAN, Alaska ' At a packed Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District board meeting on March 26, dozens of parents, staff and students urged the board to pause or abandon a proposed district "specialization" (restructuring) plan, saying it risks separating young children from families and worsens safety and transportation problems highlighted by a recent landslide.
The public-comment period stretched more than two hours and included appeals from parents of special-needs students, elementary children pleading to keep their neighborhood schools, and teachers who said alternative plans could preserve local campuses and save comparable money. "Please don't take away my school. I am a dolphin," said Leo Perry, identified as a second-grade student at Houghton, drawing applause.
The meeting occurred amid leadership turnover and community tension. The board accepted the written resignation of Board President Michelle O'Brien earlier this month; board members said they will fill that vacancy by appointment. Several speakers also referenced the recent resignation of Superintendent Robbins and said the district should not force major structural change while leadership is in flux.
Why it matters: Speakers emphasized that Ketchikan's geography and transportation vulnerabilities make neighborhood schools a safety issue, not only a budget one. Several parents described children who rely on short local routes and siblings who live together; they said longer bus rides to distant schools would be harmful in emergencies. Parents and community members also criticized what they called limited and late communication from the district about budget proposals and schedule changes.
Key public comments: Parent Ally Cook asked the board to reject specialization and instead look for alternatives that do not split neighborhood communities. Special-education parent Angela Blandoff described specific behavioral and medical needs for her child and said moving the child to a school across town would create unacceptable risks for both daily life and emergency response.
Several long-time residents spoke in favor of maintaining neighborhood schools and of transparency: "The community has felt very blindsided through this whole restructure," said Spring Berry, a communication professional who urged clearer opt-in communications (SMS and email) and district transparency on budget numbers.
Not all speakers opposed the plan. Jason House, a 25-year educator and parent, urged the board to reaffirm the decision to restructure, saying the plan preserves campuses and essential programs and would give the next superintendent a clearer path forward.
Board response and next steps: Board members said they heard the public and noted the district must also close a multi-million-dollar budget gap. Members emphasized they want reliable data to compare options and that any structural change will require significant planning, including staff development for multi-age classrooms and attention to special-education transport needs. The board directed staff to prepare a detailed alternate-structure budget option and said it will continue public outreach.
Voices on the record: Ally Cook, parent; Leo Perry, second-grade student; Angela Blandoff, parent of a student with IEP; Jason House, educator and parent; Spring Berry, resident and communications professional; Nicole Leninger, district employee; Dave Timmerman and other long-time residents. The first public comment recorded on the transcript began at 25:17 (Ally Cook) and the last read letters concluded at about 68:56, when board members moved on to other business.
What remained unresolved: Speakers repeatedly requested clearer line-item budget details and a town-hall–style forum for sustained community conversation. Several parents said they had drafted alternate plans with cost estimates but had not seen official budget comparisons from district staff. The board agreed to return to detailed options in upcoming meetings.
