Our District
The Kodiak Island Borough School District, established in 1948, is a rural, public school district located on the second largest island in the United States, in the Gulf of Alaska. The island has one city, Kodiak, where the majority of the population is concentrated. There are 4 elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one homeschool/distance education program in the City of Kodiak. There are seven outlying Alaska Native rural villages on the island, accessible only by boat or small plane. One rural community is accessible via the road system. Our village populations range from 40 to 260 persons and our village schools have enrollments of 10 to 34 students. The road system in Kodiak is located near the City of Kodiak and extends approximately 40 miles one way and 15 miles the other way from the city proper. The remainder of the island, with the exception of the villages, is virtually uninhabited wilderness.
Eighty percent of our students in our village schools are Alutiiq (Russian-Aleut) or “People of the Sea.” Our remote village communities are each represented by a federally recognized tribe. Though westernization has dramatically altered Alutiiq lifestyles, our indigenous people have combined western traditions and technologies with their own worldviews to continue a distinct subsistence lifestyle that is uniquely Native.
The Kodiak Island Borough School District has a compelling obligation to be responsive to the needs of our community and society.
The members of the Kodiak Island Borough School District Governing Board establish policy, hire personnel, develop annual budgets, and plan facilities needed to implement a successful public school program.
The Kodiak Island Borough School District respects the educational right of each student and is charged with providing the best possible cost-effective program for all students. Our emphasis is placed on excellence that seeks to instill a desire to keep learning, to be self-motivated and self-disciplined and to believe in one’s self-worth.
1. The first and foremost consideration of the educational process is the student.
2. The educational environment must be caring, healthy, safe, non-disruptive, and non-biased.
3. The school is an integral part of the community and the community is an integral part of the school.
4. All students are capable of learning and must have the opportunity to learn,
5. Families are their children’s primary teachers and must be actively involved in education.
6. The educational process must value and respect human diversity and the multicultural communities it serves.
7. Our communities must be active in educational funding and spending.
8. Excellence in schools must be developed through high standards and high expectations.
9. Students must demonstrate achievement of District-approved standards to graduate.
10. Students need opportunities to experience success and to build self-esteem.
11. Success of students is measured in a variety of ways.
Kodiak Island Borough School District is a safe, disciplined, and productive environment where students and adults are meaningfully engaged in learning. Our culturally diverse population is viewed as a strength with a spirit of equity, cooperation, and respect fills our school communities. Our curriculum design and instructional practices enhance our ability to connect academic learning to the work place. All our schools are equipped with the necessary technology, human resources, and materials for academic success.
Our graduates experience success and are academically prepared to take advantage of choices in a changing society. They work collaboratively, are technologically literate and have a passion for lifelong learning.
Our parents experience satisfaction due to the progress of their children. They work cooperatively with school personnel to establish goals and priorities. They feel welcomed and valued as partners in the educational process.
Our staff experiences a sense of accomplishment and is held in high esteem. They work collaboratively, are competent, effective, and committed to professional growth. They are positive role models to our youth.
Our community takes pride in Kodiak Island Borough School District as an organization where everyone is committed to quality education for all students. We are acknowledged as a premier educational system, and the community readily partners with us in a spirit of respect and support.
The Kodiak Island Borough School District, in close cooperation with our diverse island community, exists to provide an educational program of the highest standard that empowers all students to achieve personal and academic excellence while developing their full potential as responsible, productive citizens.
Our Strategic Plan
The Kodiak Island Borough School District’s Strategic Plan identifies our Mission and our Vision and is part of our annual budget process. Our mission guides us in the selection of goals to be accomplished to address major issues facing our District. The goals addressed are categorized using the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS) standards. The District’s administrative team then uses the identified goals to develop specific approaches or strategies that are to be implemented to accomplish the goals through action plans which are specific to each approach or strategy. Our strategies and approaches are flexible in meeting the varied needs of both internal and external individuals.
Our Plan is monitored, reviewed, and updated regularly using the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) improvement cycle as it is meant to be a working document that adapts to the District’s need to be flexible and responsive to student, staff, school, and community needs.
District Report Cards
District and school report cards are created on an annual basis. Report cards include information on attendance rates, graduation rates, assessment information, and other statistics regarding the district and school’s population.
All report cards can be accessed through the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development website.