Nov 18: Message from the Superintendent

November 18, 2024

Dear Anchorage School District Families, Educators, Business Partners, and Community Members,

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful feedback and questions regarding the district’s proposed adjustment to the high school bell schedule for the 2025-26 school year. This proposal was part of a broader effort to implement the Academies of Anchorage (AoA) across all high schools. After careful consideration, the Anchorage School District has decided to pause discussions on changing the high school bell schedule. As a result, the bell schedule will remain unchanged for the 2025-26 school year.

With this update, we will be adjusting our implementation plan for the Academies of Anchorage. While we have seen great success with Freshman Academy, the initial phase of AoA, we acknowledge the concerns raised about the next phase. Over the coming months, district leadership will develop a revised plan for moving forward with AoA in a way that builds on the progress we've made, while ensuring we can sustain and grow the model over time.

I also recognize the uncertainty in our community surrounding funding from the State of Alaska and the U.S. Department of Education. For the 2025-26 school year, our intent is that the implementation of the Academies of Anchorage is cost-neutral to the general fund and scaled more modestly than originally planned.

At the heart of the Academies’ success is community involvement. We are immensely grateful for the time and talent of our AoA community partners, and we will continue to work closely with them, as well as school leaders, teachers, staff, and the broader community to develop the best path forward. Although the implementation plan for AoA will be adjusted, ASD remains deeply committed to improving graduation rates and expanding access to both college preparatory and career and technical education (CTE) coursework for all students.

Thank you for your ongoing trust and engagement in this important initiative. The Academies of Anchorage represent a collective vision for our students’ futures, and I am confident that, together, we can bring that vision to life.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jharrett Bryantt
Superintendent
Anchorage School District