Schools

Alaska State Troopers say a school bus that was struck in a Mat-Su Valley crash Thursday afternoon, injuring six people including five children, had its lights flashing and its stop sign deployed when it was rear-ended. In a Monday AST dispatch, troopers say they responded just before 4:20 p.m. Thursday to the crash, which occurred when a First Student bus carrying elementary-aged children headed north on Knik-Goose Bay made a stop at its intersection with Country Lane. “Lisa D. Gettman, age 59 of Anchorage, who was operating her 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, drove up behind the bus and rear ended the school bus at a high rate of speed,” troopers wrote.

South High School theater students made a twist to a classic storybook tale. On Saturday evening, students performed “Rocking Red Riding Hood,” a musical set to the sound of 1950's rock and roll. The student performers were also getting ready for a much larger audience - they will take the musical by Alaska's Shane Mitchell and Dennis Cleary, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. “It's just an experience because a lot of us will never get to do it again,” Erin Fleener, theater student, said.

Knik-Goose Bay Road has reopened after three people, including two children, were injured in a Mat-Su Valley crash Thursday afternoon involving a school bus, according to Alaska State Troopers. AST spokesperson Megan Peters says the extent of injuries sustained by the children, as well as the driver of a PT Cruiser that rear-ended the school bus near Knik-Goose Bay Road's intersection with Country Lane, remains unclear. "All I know about injuries at this point is that they were transported (to a hospital)

The Anchorage School Board discussed school choice in local facilities Monday, exploring how to give parents and student more opportunities -- as well as how those choices should look in the future. It's the beginning of discussions on what options in education the Anchorage School District currently offers, and what could be changed to make them more successful. One topic of those talks is ensuring that all students in the district are free to choose where they learn. With programs ranging from Chinese and Spanish immersion to cultural and specialized learning, ASD officials say numerous selections can be found in the city at neighborhood, charter and alternative schools.

Artwork at Palmer High School prompted some controversy among parents after a collection of pieces were put on display in a common area of the school on April 5. The display was taken down on Wednesday. Some students spoke out, creating signs and claiming censorship after the art was taken down. Joy Pollard, a junior art student in the International Baccalaureate program says the artists' pieces weren't meant to be offensive. "I'm hurt," Pollard said. "I don't think the pieces that were more provocative were in the general view and you'd have to choose to walk through the art piece and art show to see those pieces.

According to officials at the Mat-Su Borough School District, "Core" Area Schools served by First Student are closed today, Tuesday, April 9, due to icy road conditions and accumulated fresh snow. The following MSBSD schools are open: Su Valley Junior/Senior High School, Trapper Creek Elementary, Talkeetna Elementary, Willow Elementary, and Glacier View School. All schools in the Anchorage School District are open today.   Contact Jessica Ridgway  

The runner-up to fill the vacant Anchorage School Board seat D was appointed and sworn in at the board meeting Monday evening. Kameron Perez-Verdia accepted the position after Thomas Corkran turned down the position after his ties to Veco were revealed this weekend. On Saturday, the board had a deadlock of 3-3 for both finalists after interviewing 31 candidates. Perez-Verdia has served on several other boards and is currently the CEO of Avant-Garde Learning Alliance. He'll keep the seat until the 2014 Municapal election.

Thomas Corkran has turned down the Anchorage School Board Position Sunday according to Anchorage Board Member Don Smith. One day earlier, the Anchorage School Board appointed Thomas Corkan to the vacant board seat D. Smith says that Corkran is well qualified for the position and it's a shame that his prior employment has become an issue in taking the position. Corkran was previously employed by Veco.  Corkran now owns his own financial consulting practice and has spent over 25 years participating with Junior Achievement of Alaska.  The school board received 41 applications and interviewed 31 applicants for the position last held by Gretchen Guess.

Kenai Central High School has been recognized as a "2013 Top AFS School" by AFS-USA (formerly known as American Field Service), a non-profit organization that promotes intercultural learning and international exchange programs in more than 40 countries. "Schools honored with this inaugural award have partnered with AFS in a variety of ways to foster global citizenship through intercultural learning--both inside and outside of the classroom," wrote AFS-USA in a press release announcing the 2013 award recipients.

The Anchorage School District School Board is now accepting applications for a new member to serve the board from April 2013 through April 2014. The open seat became available after board member Gretchen Guess announced she was leaving Alaska to take a job in Florida. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19. They are available online and in the superintendent's office at the ASD Education Center, which is located at 5530 E. Northern Lights Boulevard. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a registered voter, and a resident of the Municipality of Anchorage.