4. What strategies do you have for the school and city to work more closely together?
Lon Garrison: I think they work closely together now; I think they have a pretty good trusting relationship. We maybe could implement more joint work sessions – those have some value, but I don’t know that there’s a tremendous amount of value. I think maintaining good communication, and being forthright with what each entity expects and is perceiving is very important. Communication to me is the most important thing.
Mo McBride: I think we should look at doing an educational compact with the city, with the community, to bind together for very specific programming – so that we work on mentoring programs, and we work on the city providing space in city facilities for classes that include parents and support people, not just kids themselves. We might look at adding law enforcement career programming in the schools, so that as they get through high school, they’ll be able to enter a program and be more educated about what they want to do. I think we should be offering mentoring programs more specific than what we do now.
Tim Fulton: If we are talking about our City government, two way communications are key. The city needs to know what the district needs and the district needs to know what the city can provide. If we are talking about the community of Sitka, I have several ideas. I think the Junior Achievement program would work well. Finding opportunities for our kids to volunteer more, taking activities to our assisted living community such as drama, concerts, or simply providing a way for our students to listen to the wisdom of our elders, and school to work programs are good for both the community and our students. Putting out information to our kids as to what possibilities are out there and to the community that the schools are a resource.