5. What strategies do you have for the school and city to work more closely together?
Heidi Raffaele: I’ve been really fortunate to have been a member of the school district for 10 years – I was a public school teacher for 20, and 10 of them here in Sitka, so I kind of understand where the district staff is coming from. I think the Assembly should provide time at every meeting to hear what’s going on and what the needs are, because the needs of the district change, sometimes day-to-day, minute-to-minute, week-to-week. So having a time to hear from them at each meeting is quite appropriate.
Reber Stein: I think the city and SD have a lot in common, the least of which are the various assets, the buildings. I think I would encourage greater cooperation between the two to lower the overhead for schools; I am aware that the electric boilers have been a qualified success, at Sitka High particularly, and I think lowering the overhead for the schools is something the City can contribute to and make money available for other activities.
Joseph Reeves: It comes down to communication – the school board needs to tell the Assembly what they need, and the Assembly needs to act on it. It’s just a pure case of communication. They have to talk. If you don’t sit down and you don’t talk, things aren’t going to get accomplished.
Jack Ozment: Communication is the major thing. I do believe the city and the school work together very well at this point – that’s one of the few things the Assembly doesn’t try to micromanage at this point. They come forward with their budgets and their ideas, and we pretty well go along with it. We have only a certain amount of money, even though primarily your property tax goes for the schools. I think we do work well together. I have no problem with further communications.
Chad McGraw: I will need to educate myself further on this issue before responding.