Galena City School District

The Galena City School District (GCSD) is located on the north bank of the Yukon River. Galena’s building-based schools (Sidney C. Huntington School and Galena Interior Learning Academy) share campuses and teachers. The Galena Interior Learning Academy is a residential boarding school, which serves local residents and boards students from outside communities. Galena’s distance education efforts overlap, near and far, across the entire state.

When school buildings were closed to students, GCSD’s technology team jumped into action. Direct-dial mobile phones were issued to all teachers in the district to remain connected with students. The technology team surveyed families on home internet accessibility, cross-referenced it with service provider coverage areas, and followed up with internet providers to issue MiFi devices to students in most rural villages.

GCSD has a 1-to-1 program where all students are issued their own laptop for the duration of the school year. This program allowed all students to be sent home with their devices when education shifted to distance delivery. All students were issued a district email account with access to communication tools, like Microsoft Teams and Flipgrid. The statewide team of certified computer technicians are supporting families via desktop assistance software for any technical needs.

Even with the distribution of MiFi hot spots, there are a handful of students without internet. For those students, GCSD is utilizing phone and paper packets via postal mail to deliver distance instruction. Physical work packets are mailed to students with return address labels to submit assignments.

District staff have been hosting weekly GCI teleconference calls for families to stay updated. It also provides an opportunity to ask questions in real time. Following each conference call, the principal of the Galena Interior Learning Academy sends an email to families with Q&As from the meeting. Educators are also taking advantage of teleconferences to do classroom talks for students who don’t have internet. They are also making regular contact with families through direct-dial phones and texting. The Voluntary After School Program (VAS) has been converted to a Virtual Academic Support Program (VAS), with two certified teachers available Monday-Thursday to assist students via teleconference or GoToMeetings.

In addition to their tremendous efforts toward student learning, district staff are also taking steps to make sure students know that their school staff are thinking of them! Dorm staff have been mailing out “birthday boxes” with snacks, a card, t-shirt, and a roll of toilet paper! Staff is planning a virtual graduation, complete with a senior slideshow, and has been reaching out to every senior student for photos and song requests. Seniors will be mailed a priority box with a gown, cap and tassel, a wallet diploma, senior sweatshirt, yearbook, and a flash drive with a copy of the Virtual Graduation Ceremony.

Galena students – your teachers miss you!

GCSD – thank you for your tireless efforts to ensure student learning and connection continues through the COVID-19 crisis!