Assembly, staff weigh options for North Star Elementary after district consolidation

The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly opened a broad discussion about the future of North Star Elementary after the Kodiak Island Borough School District voted January 22 to consolidate North Star into Main and East elementary schools. The assembly did not commit to a use or sale; members asked staff to gather cost, capacity and timing information for further review and for a joint work session with the school district on March 12.

Why it matters: North Star is the borough's newest elementary school and includes a full-size gym; assembly members and community groups raised concerns that disposing of the building or repurposing it without preserving future school capacity could require construction of a new school — an estimated replacement cost mentioned in discussion was roughly $30 million.

Staff report and immediate needs: Amy Williams, borough manager, said two immediate project items result from the consolidation: completing design plans for the North Star roof (including preserving a skylight over the library) and addressing a sidewalk/pathway along Ottmaloy Road that had been part of a Safe Routes to Schools program. Williams said the state and DOT had already signaled interest in adjusting scope and costs now that the building's school status had changed.

Community interest and capacity questions: Multiple assembly members relayed constituent interest in preserving the gym for community uses and in daytime programs such as daycare, after-school programs or a children’s museum. Assemblymember Scott noted the gym is a full-size facility that community groups have used and urged exploring community partnerships if the building remains available for public use.

Timing, storage and costs: School-district representatives told the borough the district aims to vacate the building in August but must first find storage for furniture and equipment. Amy Williams said the borough assessor had a 2024 building assessment of approximately $7.6 million on the books, but that figure is dated because the property is currently tax-exempt and would require reappraisal to reflect current market value. The assembly also discussed utility, maintenance and custodial costs — members asked staff to compile five-year operating cost data (fuel, electric, water, sewer, garbage) and any warranty or capital liabilities prior to making decisions.

Short-term options and constraints: Several members suggested the district might retain the building while the borough and community evaluate reuse options, pointing to precedents where districts leased or sublet excess space. Others warned against long-term sale or extended leases that could prevent converting the site back to a school if enrollment increases. Assemblymember Larry asked that any reuse preserve the ability to return the building to school use within a few years.

Next steps: Staff committed to providing detailed operating cost figures, facility condition information and school-capacity numbers for Main, East and Peterson schools; the Assembly will discuss North Star with the school district at a joint work session on March 12 and revisit the matter during budget planning for FY26. No decisions on sale, lease or reuse were made at the work session.

Ending: The assembly emphasized fiscal caution and expressed a preference to avoid irreversible actions that would eliminate future school capacity. Community groups interested in leasing parts of the facility were advised to follow up with borough staff and the school district as officials assemble a formal plan.