Key takeaways:

• Elementary health education will move to an integrated model next school year. District leaders shared details of the Integrated Elementary Health Education Model set to begin as part of budget-driven staffing changes.
• Annual Denali Award Employee Recognition Ceremony honors exemplary employees. The award ceremony also recognized the extraordinary service of employees during the Typhoon Halong response. Superintendent Bryantt reflects on graduations, stories of success this school year
• Dr. Bryantt shared examples of student growth plus forecasts his priorities for next school year.

 

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the Anchorage School Board held a work session at 4 p.m., followed by a Board meeting at 6 p.m. 

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

 

Work Session Review

The Board Work Session agenda is available to review. A recording of the meeting is available for playback. The first few minutes of the audio is lost in the recording due to a technical difficulty, however closed captioning is available. The audio playback is available starting at 10:43 in the video.

2026 Integrated Elementary Health Education Model 

 

Presenters:

• Sean Prince, Senior Director of Teaching & Learning
• Nicole Sommerville, Director of Elementary Teaching, Teaching & Learning

Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt introduced the discussion by explaining that the new framework for Health Education will be implemented next school year as a result of the $90 million in budget cuts necessary to balance the 2026–27 school year budget. He emphasized the importance of these discussions in maintaining transparency as details about next school year’s changes become available.

Presenters shared how Health Education will transition from standalone lessons to a daily integrated Health & Wellness Framework.

What Is Changing

• Reduction of elementary health teachers providing standalone health instruction.
• Re-envisioning how health education standards are taught at the elementary level.

 

How the Framework Will Be Integrated

The framework uses a three-strand approach:

1. ELA (CKLA) Integration
    Health standards will be embedded into the core literacy curriculum.
2. Physical Education (P.E.)
    P.E. will serve as the primary vehicle for applied health and kinesthetic learning. 

3. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
    Social-emotional health will continue to be reinforced daily through direct instruction and classroom climate practices.

Presenters described the integrated approach as using these three curriculum areas as the primary vehicles for applied learning, comparing CKLA to “the chip that delivers the salsa.”

Sensitive Topics and Targeted Instruction

Sensitive topics will continue to require specific instruction in partnership with specialized staff, including school leadership teams and counselors.

• Personal Safety (K–5 Safe Children’s Act)
• Human Growth & Substance Abuse Prevention (4th and 5th Grade)

Accountability and Standards Alignment

• State standards and School Board-adopted curriculum have been aligned and mapped out for teachers.
• Curriculum “crosswalks” were created to show how standards are addressed across instruction.
• A unified support model will leverage specialists and core staff to provide holistic academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support for students.

Scheduling Adjustments

• Increased PE Time: Moving from 90 to 100 minutes weekly.
• Enhanced SEL Scheduling: Schools are being asked to prioritize 30 minutes weekly for dedicated SEL instruction.
• Counselor Support: A minimum of 0.5 FTE counselor per school will help support Safe Children’s Act instruction.

What Will Stay the Same

• Daily Active Play: Maintaining a minimum of 30 minutes of daily recess for all students.
• Seated Breakfast and Lunch Time: Maintaining at least 20 minutes of seated lunchtime eating time to support nutrition.

Training and Implementation

Implementation will include:

• Community outreach and stakeholder awareness.
• District training days for staff.
• Specialized training for PE teachers, counselors, leadership teams, and classroom teachers teaching 4th and 5th grade targeted units.

Presenters also noted that the District plans to continue using previously purchased Great Body Shop materials for targeted instruction in grades 4 and 5.

Presentation from this meeting

The second presentation on the School Nurse Regional Model was postponed.

Board Meeting Review

Resources from this meeting:

The Agenda as presented was approved by the Board. 

 

Denali Awards 

Denali is an Athabascan word meaning “great one,” and the Anchorage School District (ASD) is proud to have employees that display greatness in the areas of achievement, service, and dedication. The Denali award is the highest award offered by the District.

Each spring, supervisors submit nominations, and a panel of ASD staff selects a number of employees and a team of colleagues that demonstrate outstanding commitment to the District’s mission of educating all students for success in life.

There are three different categories for the Denali Award: Classified, Certificated, and Team. ASD is honored to recognize two individuals and one group as the 2026 Denali Award winners. 

2025-26 Denali Award winners

Classified: Jeremy Coulson, Maintenance Supervisor 

Certificated: Krista Rice, School Psychologist at Bartlett High School

Team: Whaley Life Skills: 

• Madison McDonald
• Adam Martinez
• Erica Monkelien
• Vicki Price
• Mauricio Rocha
• Brandy Russo

Honorable Mention

• Luke Almon, South Anchorage High School Principal
• Gerry Dillon, Huffman Elementary School Teacher
• Abby O’Neill, North Star Elementary School Principal 

Extraordinary Service: ASD Typhoon Halong Response

Additionally, this year the District extended the Denali Award celebration to include a special category, recognizing Extraordinary Service of employees during the Typhoon Halong response. The Denali Award Extraordinary Service recognition took place prior to the start of the School Board meeting. More than 25 certificates were presented to schools, individuals, and departments.

Student Representative Report

Student Representative Madison Arreola shared that she recently graduated from Eagle River High School and will attend UC Berkeley this fall to study political science. She also announced an upcoming internship with Senator Lisa Murkowski. Reflecting on her time on the School Board, Madison said public service and student advocacy have been among the most meaningful experiences of her life, emphasizing the importance of listening to diverse perspectives and being a voice for students across the District.

Military Report

U.S. Air Force Col. Dustin Hansen, Mission Support Group Commander at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), provided a “JBER 101” overview, highlighting JBER’s role as Alaska’s second-largest “municipality” and a major economic and military hub with a population of approximately 42,000. He shared updates on future projects, including runway expansion and training ranges. He also highlighted JBER career opportunities and how they align with ASD high school career pathway programs. Col. Hansen recognized volunteers supporting Airport Heights Elementary and closed by promoting the 2026 Arctic Thunder Air Show that will take place August 8-9.

Presentation from the Military Report

 

Board Conference and Committee Reports

Updates were provided by:

Finance Chair Member Rachel Blakeslee

Governance Chair Paul McDonogh

Communications Chair Member Margo Bellamy

 

Public Comment

 

Consent Agenda

The Consent Agenda, as amended, was passed by the Board.

Action Items

ASD Memorandum #166 –  Adoption of Tentative Agreement: Custodians & Building Plant Operators, Local 71

The Board heard testimony on memo #166 from Business Representatives for Public Employees Local 71 William Meers and Richard Lott.

The Board voted 7-0 to approve and adopt the Tentative Agreement between the District and Local 71 representing Custodians and BPO employees which will establish terms and conditions of employment for individuals in this unit during the period between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2029.

 

ASD Memorandum #149 –  (2025-2026) Revision To School Board Policy 5041 Health Education (First Reading)

The Board voted 7-0 to refer ASD Memorandum #149 S Revisions to BP 5041 Health Education back to the Governance Committee.

 

Superintendent Update

During his update, Dr. Bryantt reflected on recent graduations and shared stories of success from across the School District. He highlighted several “Shine Bright” moments from a variety of schools and programs, including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), student leadership initiatives, school choice programs, and academic achievement aligned with the School Board goals of reading and math proficiency, as well as college, career, and life readiness.

Dr. Bryantt also recognized the resilience of students, staff, and families throughout the school year, highlighting the District’s support for students displaced by Typhoon Halong and celebrating the accomplishments of the graduating class of 2026.

He closed by sharing his vision for the next school year, emphasizing the need to reflect on lessons learned this year while refocusing the District’s work around stronger student outcomes and alignment. Dr. Bryantt said the District will launch a new academic strategic plan, strengthen transparency and communication with families, and invite greater community involvement in decision-making. He also emphasized rebuilding trust through stronger service, engagement, and collaboration, while encouraging the District and community to continue moving forward together.

School Board & Administration Comments/Communications

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

This report is from the ASD Administration and summarizes what was presented to the Board during each meeting. We hope that you find these updates valuable. As always, we welcome your feedback and thoughts at TeamASD@asdk12.org. Have a great day.