Key takeaways:

• School Board hears initial proposal for new charter school: OCEANS Academy

• School Board approves: 

  • School Bond 2026 proposal

  • Memo to add early childhood centers to ASD campuses

  • Memo to rezone two neighborhoods to relieve overcrowding at Romig/West

• School Board rejects: Memos to close Fire Lake and Lake Otis Elementary Schools

 

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the Anchorage School Board held a work session at 3 p.m., followed by a Board meeting at 6 p.m. Board meetings typically take place the first and third Tuesday of the month. 

Work sessions, committee meetings, and Board meetings are open to the public. Meetings take place at the Education Center and can be watched live or on demand on the District’s YouTube Channel.

 

Anchorage School Board Resources:

Calendar of upcoming meetings

School Board meeting agendas

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Work Session Review

The Board Work Session agenda is available to review. A recording of the meeting is available for playback. 

The Work Session provided an overview from District Administration on: 

1. Rightsizing ASD

2. OCEANS Academy Charter

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Rightsizing ASD

ASD Presenters:

Chief Operations Officer Jim Anderson

Deputy Superintendent Sven Gustafson 

Deputy Chief of Schools Dr. Kersten Johnson

Sr. Director Special Education Pamela Momany

Chief Finance Officer Andrew Ratliff

Director Federal Programs Title 1 Michael Webb

 

The Board heard a final update from District leaders on this year’s Rightsizing ASD Plan, which looks at how to best use school space, balance enrollment, and support students as enrollment continues to decline.

Since 2015, five schools have closed due to lower student numbers. ASD has room for about 50,000 students but currently serves about 42,000. This year’s plan focuses the following three items:

 

1. Closing two schools

   • Fire Lake Elementary School

   • Lake Otis Elementary School

      

2. Boundary adjustments to help balance enrollment and reduce overcrowding at Romig Middle School and West Anchorage High School. Students who live in the identified neighborhoods will be rezoned for either:

   • Wendler Middle School>Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School 

   • Hanshew Middle School>Service High School

   • Benefit: This would keep the elementary school cohorts together at Taku Elementary School and Rogers Park Elementary School

      

3. Using available space to support childcare programs

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Fire Lake Elementary School

Recommendation:
 Close Fire Lake Elementary and reassign students to nearby schools:

• Fewer than 5 students to Chugiak Elementary

• About 40 students to Birchwood ABC

• About 140 students to Eagle River Elementary

 

The Administration noted feedback from the Fire Lake Elementary community and how the concerns have been addressed.

Community concern:

Structured Learning Classroom (SLC) students would have to switch curriculum if they moved to Birchwood ABC.

ASD findings:

Administrators confirmed that the current SLC would bring its own existing curriculum (the CKLA curriculum) to Birchwood ABC initially, ensuring continuity of instruction. They also noted that, over time, SLC students might benefit from Birchwood’s more structured ABC curriculum.

 

Community concern:

Proximity of Birchwood ABC campus to the highway.

ASD Findings:

A walk/safety assessment of the Birchwood ABC campus done by school and District administration determined the risk of an eloped student reaching the highway “minimal risk.”

 

Community Concern:

Eagle River population growth

 

ASD findings: 

While Eagle River’s population has slightly grown, local schools have seen a long-term decline of about 800 fewer students since 2010.

 

Community Concern:
Fire Lake Elementary’s location would make it a strong candidate for use as a childcare facility.

ASD Response:
The District acknowledges that Fire Lake Elementary’s proximity to downtown Eagle River makes it a suitable site for future childcare use. However, due to ongoing enrollment declines in the Eagle River area, maintaining the school as an operational elementary site is not recommended at this time.

 

Additionally, Administration noted Eagle River Elementary would become a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school, meaning all students receive free breakfast and lunch.

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Lake Otis Elementary School

Recommendation:
Close Lake Otis Elementary and reassign students to nearby schools:

• A small number of students to Airport Heights Elementary
• About 25 students to Rogers Park Elementary
• About 37 students to Tudor Elementary
• About 125 students to Kasuun Elementary
• Remaining students to College Gate Elementary
• The School Based Behavior Supports (SBBS) program would move from Kasuun Elementary to Ocean View Elementary.

 

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Community Concern:
Moving the SBBS program from Kasuun Elementary to Ocean View Elementary
 

ASD Findings:
Ocean View Elementary has adequate classroom space and plans to install a new multi-sensory de-escalation room similar to the one at Kasuun Elementary. The move would also shorten bus ride times for many students who live in South Anchorage.

 

Community Concern:
Lake Otis Elementary is a Title I school that provides extra academic and family supports.

 

ASD Findings:
While Kasuun Elementary is not currently a Title I school, it may qualify in the next review cycle. Kasuun would become a CEP school, so free breakfast and lunch for all students would be made. 

 

Community Concern:
Lake Otis Elementary has a 21st Century after-school program.

 

ASD Findings:
ASD is reapplying for the federal 21st Century Learning Grant and plans to continue offering after-school learning opportunities for students impacted by the school closure.

 

Community Concern:
Life Skills students at Lake Otis Elementary will need to move.

 

ASD Findings:
The Life Skills program will move with students, and staff will coordinate transitions to maintain consistency of support and services.

 

Community Concern:
The school has a strong English Language Learner (ELL) and Indigenous Education program.

 

ASD Findings:
These services are student-based rather than school-based. ELL and Indigenous Education staff and supports will follow students to their new schools to ensure services continue without interruption.

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Boundary Adjustments

To help balance middle and high school enrollment:

• Students in the western Rogers Park Elementary area will move from Romig Middle/West Anchorage High to Wendler Middle/Bettye Davis East Anchorage High.

• Students in the northern Taku Elementary area will move from Romig Middle/West Anchorage High to Hanshew Middle/Service High.
   

These changes will take effect for the 2026–27 school year.

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ASD Community Survey Summary

• 328 people completed the Rightsizing Survey.

• 70% did not attend a community meeting.
   

Common Themes:

• Families want clear, consistent communication

• Concerns: neighborhood identity, relationships, and student well-being

• Questions about class sizes**

• Concerns about travel distance and longer bus routes
   

**Anderson clarified that class sizes are determined by Pupil Teacher Ration (PTR), not the number of schools. So closing a school and consolidating students into other buildings would not mean classroom sizes would increase. 
When would classroom sizes increase? Funding impacts the (PTR), so if there is a limited general budget funds there would be a need to increase classroom sizes.

 

Presentation from this portion of the meeting 

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OCEANS Academy Charter

Guest Presenters:

STrEaM Academy teacher Michael Dickerson

ASD substitute nurse and teacher Beth Busk

Highland Academy teacher Simon Rose

 

The guest presenters introduced the proposal for OCEANS Academy, an outdoor charter high school for grades 9–12. The founding group includes parents and educators who have been developing the concept since January 2025.

 

OCEANS Academy would emphasize outdoor experiential learning, the arts, and natural sciences through project-based learning. While the school intends to serve as a continuation for students from STrEaM Academy, it would be open to all students interested in experiential, project-based pathways and is intended to be located in East Anchorage.

 

The team is in the early stages of the charter review process with the Anchorage School Board, which held this session as the initial step in reviewing their application. The group aims to complete both ASD and DEED approval in time to join the ASD lottery in spring 2026. Their enrollment plan for year one is to serve primarily students in grades 9 and 10, then expand to grade 11 in year two and grade 12 in year three. Upper grades would be enrolled earlier in the plan if seats are available.

 

Presentation from this portion of the meeting 

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Board Meeting Review

Resources from this meeting:

The Agenda, as presented, was approved by the Board. 

 

Recording

Reports

Student Representative Report

Student Representative Madison Arreola shared in her update that the November Student Advisory Board meeting took place earlier that day. During their meeting a resolution was passed to eliminate glitter as a microplastic in ASD schools. A representative from Dimond High School and others from the Girl Scouts attended the meeting to present the resolution. Additionally, SAB is encouraging members to attend the upcoming spring Alaska Association of Student Governance Conference. 

 

Board Conference and Committee Reports

Member Kelly Lessens shared she attended the Alaska Association of School Boards annual conference. In a session on artificial intelligence, there was a suggestion that districts consider adopting an AI matrix that would allow teachers to have a common framework for the use of AI. Lessens shared it may be worth a conversation in the Governance Committee in regard to the plagiarism policy.

 

Member Andy Holleman added that if the SAB were to get the resolution that passed at their meeting to School Board Executive Assistant America Sullivan, the Governance Committee can review it. 

 

See a calendar of all upcoming meetings.

Public Comment

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda as amended was approved by the Board. There was no Board discussion about the Consent Agenda items. 

One item to note on the Consent Agenda is ASD Memorandum #60, Approval of the April 2026 Bond Proposal. The Bond projects and priorities focuses on:

•  Safety and security, with 15 schools identified for secure vestibules

• Major renovations and upgrades

• Planning and design

More information on the Bond is available on the ASD Bonds Hot Topic site.

Action Items 

ASD Memorandum #087  Boundary Changes

 

This memo recommended boundary changes to help balance enrollment at Romig Middle School and West High School starting in the 2026–27 school year.

 

There was no Board discussion on ASD memo #087. 

 

The Board voted unanimously to approve Memo #087. The Board vote available for playback. 

 

ASD Memorandum #086 Using Available Space In School Buildings For Potential Childcare Providers

 

Background on this memo:

This new opportunity to use available spaces for potential childcare programs addresses a need in the community and could be beneficial in recruiting and retaining employees for whom childcare needs are a barrier to full-time employment.

 

The Anchorage Bowl has an estimated childcare shortfall for 8,000 children. In the last ASD employee survey, in 2024, the respondents stated that they planned on needing childcare for 1,800 children.

 

The District has recently developed a rental agreement with Kids Corps International to provide space in Etheldra Davis Fairview Elementary School for their headquarters and childcare rooms. This is an extension to the rental agreements in other schools for Head Start programs. Previous to this, the District has not rented available space to commercial businesses with long-term agreements.

 

On October 21, 2025, the Administration identified schools that have space available for potential childcare operations. If approved, the Administration will begin a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for providers to open childcare programs in schools. 

 

The following schools are currently being considered: 

• Sand Lake Elementary School 

• Huffman Elementary School 

• Denali Montessori 

• Bartlett High School

• Chugiak High School 

 

Additional schools are being evaluated, so the list may change depending on School Board Rightsizing decisions and additional analysis. These initial efforts will continue to maximize opportunities to use our facilities for both the District and the Anchorage Community.

 

Board discussion on ASD memo #086 is available for playback. The Board voted unanimously to pass Memo #086.

 

ASD Memorandum #088  ASD Rightsizing Recommendation - Fire Lake Elementary School

 

Board discussion on ASD memo #088 is available for playback. The motion to approve Memo #088 failed, with a vote of 3-4.

 

ASD Memorandum #089  ASD Rightsizing Recommendation - Lake Otis Elementary School

 

Board discussion on ASD memo #089 is available for playback. The motion to approve Memo #088 failed, with a vote of 1-6.

 

The public testimony and Board discussion of the memos related to school closures lasted for multiple hours and many scenarios and factors were considered. During the discussion, District administrators explained that ASD’s facilities are significantly underused, with space for about 8,000 more students than are currently enrolled, the equivalent to about 20 vacant school buildings. The Administration answered many questions on how Title 1 funding works, how the funding follows the need of the population (not static to a building), and the status of the schools receiving students may change to Title 1 but it could not be determined at this time because ASD is a community where about ⅓ of the population opts to attend a school outside of their neighborhood school zone. 

 

During the discussions, the Board cited many factors that played into their decision to keep Fire Lake and Lake Otis Elementary Schools open, including concerns that closures would disrupt specialized programs, displace vulnerable students, and fracture strong school communities. 

 

Non-Action Items

There was no Board discussion regarding any non-action items.

Superintendent Update

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt gave a brief update, simply thanking everyone who came out to testify and thanked the Board for their consideration of the difficult proposals.

 

School Board & Administration Comments/Communications

The meeting concluded with School Board and Administration comments and communications.