The Wrangell school board voted unanimously Monday to approve an agreement with the University of Alaska Southeast to base a full-time UAS Tech Prep Regional Coordinator in the community.
The coordinator would facilitate college credit opportunities for Wrangell students and assist them with planning for postsecondary education.
Wrangell Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Mayer compared it to having a UAS satellite campus in Wrangell. Mayer said all that’s left is the formality of signing the agreement.
“It’s pretty much a done deal,” Mayer said. “We’re pretty excited about it. It’s going to be a great opportunity for Wrangell students and the community at large.”
Mayer said the UAS coordinator will work closely with Wrangell High School’s vocational shop.
He said this agreement will not cost anything for the school district.
“That was pretty key to us becoming involved in this relationship with UAS, was that the only expectation on the part of the district was to provide office space. That just really reflects a win for our district and our kids,” Mayer said.
Mayer noted the program could expand into opportunities for adult education and could attract students from other towns in Southeast Alaska.
The school board also voted to adopt a new math curriculum for the elementary and middle schools. Teachers and parents worked together to choose My Math as a program to give more continuity to math classes. The new curriculum is aligned to state standards and has online and iPad components.
The board will hold a public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget at its April 27 meeting.
