CRSD School Board Discusses Kenny Lake Boiler Emergency at December Meetings

Kenny Lake School mascot.

UPDATE: Since the publication of this article, CRR learned that the three votes in favor of replacing the Kenny Lake boilers at the December 13 emergency meeting were not sufficient. Four board members must approve the purchase. A second emergency meeting is scheduled for December 20.

This article has been edited to correct a statement about purchasing a truck for plowing at the Kenny Lake School that was originally attributed to Heidi Jacobsen, but was actually made by Hannah Bengston. We apologize for the error.

By Sabrina Simon

CRSD December Meeting

The Copper River School District held their monthly Board Meeting on December 3, where several urgent maintenance issues were discussed.

Jim Kistler in maintenance reported one of the chambers of the Kenny Lake boiler started leaking and will need to be replaced. The cost of updating the entire boiler room, which experiences frequent malfunctions and has not been updated since the 1970s, is upwards of $800,000. Kistler is concerned about his ability to keep a warm temperature in the school if the temperature outdoors drops. 

There was discussion about short-term solutions. However, the meeting was concluded by scheduling an emergency Facilities Meeting for December 13.

During the Dec 13 emergency meeting, a motion was made to purchase boilers for the Kenny Lake School for up to $800,000. 

Board members discussed the scenario of temporarily closing Kenny Lake to defer expensive repairs. Superintendent Theresa Laville quickly rejected this suggestion saying that she would not “displace 49 students.” Kenny Lake Lead Teacher Shawna Goodwin also informed the board that the Kenny Lake School hosts several classes for Upstream Learning students. 

Joshua Scott asked about the strategies the Board will use to have the costs reimbursed by the state and the likelihood these strategies would pan out in their favor. 

In response, CRSD Financial Director Sandy Friendsuh explained that there are several opportunities to have the costs covered through sources like insurance claims, grants, reimbursement requests, the district’s maintenance fund, and a trust account of 1.8 million dollars. She added that making the repair is the district’s “civic duty,” despite the cost. 

Scott also asked for more information about the timeline of the repair, noting that the process seemed rushed. Kistler responded that with a cold front coming, a single boiler simply will not maintain heat within the school and that property will start freezing. 

In a closing comment at the December 13 meeting, Lacayah Engebretson expressed concern for the “proportionality of spending per student especially with the potential for non-reimbursement,” as well as the “long-term potential set-back financially, even in light of a high possibility of reimbursement,” noting that “the timeline of reimbursement restricts the cash available in case of similar situations.”

By the end of the emergency meeting, the motion passed with a three out of five-majority vote. The Board hopes to start the repair process over the holiday break.

During the regular board meeting, a motion was unanimously approved for the site survey of the district school buildings including Kenny Lake. The survey is a qualifier for being placed higher on the state’s Capital Improvements Project Grant Priority List. The survey includes the analysis of a maintenance engineer, structural engineer, and architectural engineer. The survey is an additional large cost, upwards of $50,000, but a necessary part of the process to qualify for state funding for a large maintenance repair project.

The board approved a $54,496.50 purchase of a 2024 Ford 250 pickup truck to replace a non-operational maintenance vehicle also used for plowing at the December 3 meeting. Currently, Kistler uses his personal vehicle to plow in the district. 

Discussion included concern about the massive costs associated with the purchases needed for both the maintenance vehicle and updating the boiler room- both paramount in priority. Hannah Bengston suggested that the boiler room should take financial precedent over a new truck. Mark Somerville countered the suggestion making the point that both repairs must happen, and that the Board will need to search for funding outside of the district’s budget to make them possible. 

The motion was unanimously approved, begrudgingly so by Bengston.

Other business at the December 3 meeting included approving the hire of Dave Rojeck as the Slana School Lead Teacher effective January 6, 2025. Rojeck’s most recent position was teaching English language learners from Asia. He worked in the American International School System and has taught in places including Kuwait and Mexico City. He has also taught in the Navaho Nation and holds an educational leadership degree. 

Jason Roslansky reported excitement for hiring such a “well-traveled teacher.”  The community of Slana will help to “winterize” David as this is the coldest environment he has ever worked in.

Administrators and students recently attended the Alaska School Board’s 71st Annual Conference, held November 7-10 in Anchorage. Hannah Bengston added some of her insights from the conference, saying she noticed an “undercurrent” of stress regarding the upcoming administration change. 

Tami Pyfer, the co-creator of the Dignity Index, presented its mission at the conference, which seemed to be a highlight for Bengston. The aim of the Dignity Index is to prevent violence, ease divisions, and solve problems, keeping humanity at the forefront through mutual respect. 

Board Member Mark Somerville reported that outside of the time he spent speaking with a student from Sitka’s Pacific High School, the conference was unfortunately a “waste of [his] time.” 

Through his conversation with the Pacific High student, he learned about the school’s alternative approach to education founded on project-based, hands-on learning. According to the school’s website, their academic philosophy is “truly alternative, and learning is authentic, experiential, and place-based, with an emphasis on community and a culture of quality.”

According to the Pacific High student, the school is now very popular with many local Sitka students requesting transfers. Somerville was inspired by the school’s approach and hopes to incorporate it into the Copper River School District.  Superintendent Theresa Laville was excited to hear Somerville’s report because she also aspires to include more project-based and experiential learning opportunities within the district. 

In the Superintendent’s report, Laville celebrated the success and growth of Literacy Nights, thanking the volunteers, parents and administrators for making them possible, as well as the involvement of the greater community including Copper River Native Association, Copper Valley Community Library, and our very own Copper River Record. 

Upstream Learning's Mark Proch praised the robotics team of five students for their recent achievements like using coding and 3D printing to build a model snowplow machine and rocket. Proch called them “experts” and encouraged them to provide lessons on 3D printing for teachers in other schools from the district. For updates on their work, you can visit Upstream Learning’s Facebook page.