August 26, 2024

Dear Anchorage School District Families and Staff,

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! We are thrilled to have students back in our classrooms and are so grateful for the trust and support of our families, teachers, and staff. The first few days have been off to a strong start, and I want to take a moment to share some highlights and important updates with you.

First, we’ve made notable progress in filling critical roles, including transportation staff, paraeducators, and food service staff. While we still have more work to do, our collaborations with employee bargaining units have made a positive impact, helping us move a step forward in retaining and recruiting wonderful team members.

To ensure we are continuously improving, I, along with other District staff, have been visiting schools across the District to hear directly from parents, students, teachers, and principals. Your feedback is essential as we work to address any challenges and create the best possible experience for our students.

I’m also excited to share that, thanks to our recently approved 2024-25 budget amendments, we will be making enhancements to security measures to improve the safety of our buildings. In addition, we will be implementing the Raptor Visitor Management system Districtwide this semester as a new measure designed to further secure our schools. 

Our staggered start times this year have received positive feedback, particularly from high school communities, where students from the class of 2028 were welcomed to their new campus a day before their sophomore, junior, and senior counterparts. This Freshman Academy first day of school event included field games, orientation activities, and team-building challenges to allow freshmen the opportunity to meet their teachers and get to know their school. You can watch more about the ASD Freshman Academy first day of school here. Thank you to our staff involved in this special day for setting such a positive tone for the year.

I’d also like to officially welcome our youngest learners to ASD! Our preschool and kindergarten students began their school year last week, making it an official full house!  

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our families, employees, and students for making these first few days successful. Your patience and enthusiasm have been key as we kicked off the new year with many new initiatives, including the new school start times and the staggered start to the school year. Your ongoing patience and trust are appreciated as we navigate these first weeks of school and the changes taking place. 

We’re ready for an amazing school year, and I look forward to working together with you to make it a success!

Sincerely,
Dr. Jharrett Bryantt
Superintendent
Anchorage School District