The Haines Borough school board zeroed in on administration at its first run-through of next year’s budget on March 16. “Talking about perceptions, one of the things people come up and talk to me more about in public than any other topic when the budget comes up is how much we pay administration,” said board member Lisa Schwartz. […]
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Teacher Patty Brown to retire
Longtime Haines School teacher Patty Brown will resign from her position this year, accepting a retirement incentive option offered to eight eligible staff members. The district offered a $15,000 payout to teachers who have been employed there for 15-20 years, and $20,000 to teachers who have worked there for 21 years or more. Superintendent Tony […]
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Math teacher Davis to lead music
By Natalie HelmsHigh school math teacher Matt Davis will take over the district’s full-time music teacher position, Haines Borough School Principal Rene Martin said Tuesday in a letter to students and parents. This action comes after music teacher Jason Muccino was notified that his contract would not be renewed due to budget concerns. The school board voted 5-2 last […]
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Despite testimony, Muccino out
The Haines Borough school board voted 5-2 Wednesday to accept the resignation of music teacher Jason Muccino, despite testimony of about 50 students and community members who asked the board to find another way to wring savings from its budget. Members Lisa Schwartz and Brian Clay were opposed. As a cost-saving measure, Muccino was not offered a contract […]
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District lays off music teacher
The Haines Borough School District won’t renew the contract of Jason Muccino, its only full-time music teacher. The district plans to cover music instruction next year with a teacher already working for the district, said district superintendent Tony Habra. Muccino, who teaches grades 5-12 full-time, disclosed his dismissal on Facebook this week. He said in an interview […]
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District pens policy on absences
The Haines Borough School District recently put its planned absence practices in writing, adding a section to policy to formalize procedures enforced at the front office. “There was a slight disconnect between what is in our current practice and what is in our current administrative regulation,” superintendent Tony Habra said in an email to staff. This action […]
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Too many school absences?
Are planned absences taking too big a bite out of learning at the Haines School? At Tuesday’s school board meeting, two veteran teachers expressed concerns about the number of days students miss class. For elementary teacher Patty Brown, the issue hit home when a parent asked her about the district’s “extended absence program.” The district has no […]
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Gym Floor defies fixes
The Haines High School gym floor may be stripped to the hardwood, repainted and refinished this summer after two recent attempts to recoat it resulted in cosmetic defects. The district has received one professional quote and is looking for more to assess and fix imperfections on the floor, spots where the top layer and successive […]
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School budget meeting draws little comment
Only a few Haines residents chimed in Wednesday to discuss the Haines School District’s budget for the coming year, which would use up the last of the district’s savings. Superintendent Tony Habra gave a presentation on the future of the district’s finances at an afternoon meeting intended to gauge community priorities for the district. An […]
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School board seeks computers’ benefits
Haines school board members requested a more comprehensive technology plan at its Jan. 24 workshop, saying they had no clear idea of how to assess the effectiveness of technology in the classroom. Superintendent Tony Habra presented an “Abridged Technology Plan” to the board, prepared by Teacher and Technology Coordinator Sam McPhetres. The plan listed the technology available […]