1:47
Paul McDonough
144:32 - 146:19
"the resolution would state that the board hereby commits that it does not intend to close any schools this school year as long as there's no emergency need, like weather, epidemic, another epidemic, or something. Um, and the, the rationale I think comes from the, the superintendent's remarks way back in April, uh, where the superintendent gave many reasons why school closures this year, while it may be a cost savings measure, we have so much dust settling from other programming efficiencies, 3 years in a row of school closures... and now the board is committed to a new committee to basically re-engineer the whole process of identifying schools for closure, uh, that a year of reprieve and respite would be very needed for the community."
“the resolution would state that the board hereby commits that it does not intend to close any schools this school year as long as there's no emergency need, like weather, epidemic, another epidemic, or something. Um, and the, the rationale I think comes from the, the superintendent's remarks way back in April, uh, where the superintendent gave many reasons why school closures this year, while it may be a cost savings measure, we have so much dust settling from other programming efficiencies, 3 years in a row of school closures... and now the board is committed to a new committee to basically re-engineer the whole process of identifying schools for closure, uh, that a year of reprieve and respite would be very needed for the community.”
- Speaker
- Paul McDonough
- Timestamp
- 144:32 – 146:19
- Community
- Alaska News
- Location
- Anchorage
- Captured at
- August 4, 2026
From the transcript
I'd like to just, as I discussed briefly in the committee update, from a more direct— I asked for the inclusion of the ASD Resolution 26-27-01 on here. And as board members read it and as the public reads it, I'd like to state what in effect this resolution resolution would do if it passes the next time the board meets and the reasoning for it. We have— so the resolution would state that the board hereby commits that it does not intend to close any schools this school year as long as there's no emergency need, like weather, epidemic, another epidemic, or something. Um, and the, the rationale I think comes from the, the superintendent's remarks way back in April, uh, where the superintendent gave many reasons why school closures this year, while it may be a cost savings measure, we have so much dust settling from other programming efficiencies, 3 years in a row of school closures um, and now the board is committed to a new committee to basically re-engineer the whole process of identifying schools for closure, uh, that a year of reprieve and respite would be very needed for the community. I would say that now that the committee exists, I think that the need for this resolution to come from the board is even higher because I would hate to have the committee begin public outreach with everyone in the community that says, what do you need to see in your kid's school?
Related Coverage
Anchorage board weighs pledge to close no schools this year
Anchorage School Board member Paul McDonough introduced a resolution as a non-action item Tuesday that would commit the board to close no schools this school year absent an emergency. He said he expects the board to take it up when it next meets, in two weeks.
by Walter AlaskaNews22h ago2 min readAIAnchorage
