When Klukwan School’s lone school bus hit a moose in 2020, it was a low point among low points. After the accident, the bus was shipped to Juneau for repairs, where it sat for a year. When it eventually came back it wasn’t in serviceable condition.
While the bus sat in Juneau, the school lost students, at one point down to eight total. That was two below the minimum number required for full state funding, and it was uncertain if the school would open for the following year.
Now, four years later, the school has been working to solve another problem: too many students.
Until this winter, the school’s replacement for the lost bus was two 15-seat passenger vans. With school enrollment back up to 33, there wasn’t enough van capacity to transport students together for field trips and other off-site learning – essential for the school’s place-based learning model. And, while it was enough capacity, barely, for students who needed a ride to and from school, it left no room for continued growth of the student population.
But now, there’s a new vehicle on the road. And though the Klukwan School lettering can’t be pasted onto the side until spring temperatures crack 55 degrees, it’s unmistakable as the only full-size yellow school bus heading up to 22 Mile
Klukwan School teacher Shk’oohaalee Justina Hotch says the new Klukwan School school bus, which started driving students this winter, brings with it a big growth in learning capacity: field trips planned for the coming weeks include a day at the beach, to learn about intertidal zones and harvest red seaweed for the community, and another to fish for hooligan. Both of which, Hotch said, are important traditional practices.
They’ll be driven there by Shannon Spring, the school music teacher, who has taken on the role of bus driver. Spring’s months of training and certification for the role were paid for by the Klukwan’s parent organization, the Chatham School District. Hotch highlighted the district’s outlays for the training and a bus with a wheelchair lift. “That’s a significant commitment to the future of the school,” said Hotch. “And for our capacity to have more students.”
Students aboard the bus on a recent morning have also been enjoying the new ride. Mostly, they said, because it means all their friends are in one place. Also, student Corvus Benassi said, because it makes it more fun going over the bumps in the road.
Just before 22 Mile, at a specific point along a curve in the road that all the students know, the bus rolled towards the biggest of those bumps. “Here we go,” said Corvus’ younger brother Felix, craning to look out over the seats onto the road ahead. All 22 students on the bus were ready when it came, laughing as they bounced in their seats. Spring, looking up into the mirror, laughed along with them.