School board reports restructuring options; superintendent and board president announce resignations

Katherine Tatsuta, a member of the Ketchikan School Board, delivered a report to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly that included student-led updates from Ketchikan High School and an outline of recent district actions on budgeting and potential school restructuring.

Tatsuta introduced two student leaders from Ketchikan High School: Bridal Young, the Student Body Association president, and Tristan Lemmeron, sophomore class secretary. Young outlined academic and extracurricular activities, including the SAT/ACT/ AP testing schedule and student participation in dual‑enrollment classes. Tristan Lemmeron presented a student resolution asking the district to remodel boys’ and girls’ locker rooms at Ketchikan High, citing nonfunctional showers and a lack of privacy: “Three of the 12 showers are functional in the boys’ locker room,” he said, and students “aren’t comfortable showering because we have no privacy screening.”

Tatsuta summarized district special-education figures relayed to her by Sally Stockhausen, the district director of special education, writing in the assembly record that “as of 02/07/2025, there are 459 students between pre-K and 12 that have IEPs in the district,” and that roughly 123 students receive a higher level of individualized or small-group services (sometimes described in local discussion as “intensive” services). She noted that the district follows the State of Alaska Special Education Handbook for eligibility determinations.

Tatsuta also reported leadership changes and budget work at the school board. Board President O’Brien resigned effective March 13; Superintendent Robbins submitted his resignation effective June 30, with contractual notice obligations possibly concluding earlier in June. In a recent work session the school board discussed the FY26 restructuring plan. The board defeated motions to close Point Higgins Elementary and Shonbar Middle School but approved a motion to pursue an alternate cost-savings plan intended to reach $2,000,000 in cuts without school closures. The alternate plan includes multi‑age classrooms in some elementary schools, reduced staff travel, elimination of positions including one building vice principal, one librarian and one music teacher position, and other administrative cuts; as part of that plan the board voted to request the borough allow a $500,000 debt repayment rather than a $1,000,000 payment in FY26.

Tatsuta told the assembly that staff would flesh out the alternate plan and provide cost estimates at the next board meeting. She also said that AESB (Alaska School Boards Association) consultants will advise the district on a superintendent search and that the board expected a busy scheduling period for meetings and candidate interviews.