Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

The district estimates it will save roughly half a million in the first year after closing the school.

Kenai Central High School seniors say they learned how a single money misstep can lead to rippling financial consequences.

Heading into the current budget cycle, the district faced a $17 million deficit if it wanted to offer the same level of programs and staffing it did for the current school year. So, the budget passed last month closes Sterling Elementary to cut costs.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland says the new initiatives have added to the district’s workload.

The board approved two groups of contracts. The first was for nontenured teachers. The second was for teachers who will achieve tenure once the next school year begins.

The budget now heads to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, which’ll decide on school funding next month.

State lawmakers failed to override the governor’s veto of a bill that would have increased funding for K-12 schools by $1,000 per student.

Art isn’t just for grown ups. The Kenai Art Center is hosting its annual Kenai Peninsula Borough School District student art show, which teachers say helps advocate for art programs in local schools.

The evening meeting followed hours of debate by the board committee over what cuts should be implemented to make up a forecast $17 million budget shortfall.

In recent years, the school’s enrollment has plummeted. The school’s built for 175 students. But next year, the district forecasts only 19 will enroll. And as school district officials consider what to cut, Nikolaevsk’s school remains a top candidate.