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Community urges board to preserve librarians, counselors, arts and CTE amid budget cuts
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Summary
At a March 11 listening session the public urged the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Board of Education to protect library staff, school counselors, arts programs and career and technical education while the district addresses insurance and debt pressures.
Community members told the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Board of Education on March 11 that planned staffing reductions and school consolidations risked eroding services they say are essential to student success.
Caitlin Jacobson, a Ketchikan High librarian, asked the board to retain two library positions so a full‑time librarian can serve the Howling elementary site and a district librarian can maintain a 70,000‑item collection she estimated is worth more than $1,000,000. "It is a huge disservice to our community to not have a full time certified librarian at the Howling location," Jacobson said.
Dr. Kathy Rock, the school counselor at TSOS, told the board counselors are trained to support students’ academic, social, emotional and behavioral development and are not substitutes for community mental‑health services. "School counselors connect families with the RISE team and community providers and help coordinate that support," she said, urging the board to preserve counselor positions that keep students in class and learning.
Several teachers and parents warned the one‑school consolidation plan could harm arts, music and CTE pathways. Art teacher Camia McRoberts said the arts are "the roots" of a well‑rounded education and urged a K–6 art and STEAM program that reuses existing robotics, tools and supplies rather than cutting programs. Ketchikan High teacher Sarah Campbell and parent Bridget Matson pressed the board to maintain career and technical education and full staffing at Ravilla, the district’s alternative program, saying those programs provide career pathways and support for vulnerable students.
Multiple speakers described the emotional impact of closing neighborhood schools. One teacher urged careful planning for transitions and asked the district to parcel and reuse instructional materials rather than discarding assets when buildings close.
Why it matters: speakers linked the proposed cuts to real‑world consequences for student supports and local workforce development. Several asked the board to prioritize programs and staffing that community members said directly affect classroom outcomes and employment pathways, even as the district faces budget constraints driven in part by health‑insurance volatility and a debt‑repayment agreement with the borough.
What the board said: board leadership acknowledged the comments and scheduled further budget discussions; superintendent Wohler and staff said those public inputs would inform budget work before the board’s next meetings.
Next steps: the board will continue budget work at upcoming meetings, including a special budget meeting scheduled for March 28 and a first budget reading on April 1.
