Mat-Su schools serve as community centers

Scaling an imaginary version of Mount McKinley, dressing up as Dr. Seuss' "Cat In the Hat," camping out in tents to read good books, battling on the basketball court … from one end of the Mat-Su Borough to the other, students in Mat-Su schools are stretching their imaginations and strengthening their minds and bodies.

The Mat-Su Borough School District includes more than 30 schools and around 14,000 students. The schools range from large high schools in the core area with more than 1,000 students to small, rural sites at the far ends of the Valley with fewer than two dozen students.

The district is made up of 17 elementary schools, four middle schools, two junior-senior high schools, three comprehensive high schools, two k-12 schools, two alternative schools, a correspondence program and an online computer school.

The newest schools are slated to open fall of 2004 -- Houston High and a new Sherrod Elementary. Wasilla High is also getting a large-scale makeover.

In recent years, other construction projects have included Larson Elementary, Teeland Middle, Meadow Lakes Elementary and renovation and additions at other sites.

During the day, these schools serve as second homes to students, where they study, play, eat and form lifelong friendships. In the evenings, these same buildings house community activities -- square dancing, church services, music concerts, plays, craft bazaars and community school classes.

Throughout the year, people from around the state gather at local schools to cheer students on as they compete in basketball, football, soccer, swimming, volleyball, wrestling, track, cross-country, skiing and other sports.

In addition to the multimillion-dollar facilities, the classrooms, kitchens, gymnasiums, playgrounds and football fields, the Mat-Su school district is made of people -- educators and support staff. The district is the largest employer in the borough with more than 1,600 teachers, administrators and other employees.

For many of these employees, it is more than just a 9-to-5 job -- it's a lifelong passion.

"I do like trying new things. I say to other teachers, 'I don't know everything.' That's what keeps me in the field, because I'm learning something new everyday," longtime Swanson Elementary teacher Kathy Christy said in an earlier Frontiersman article. "It's exciting to learn -- just like the students. It's fun to learn with them."

Among the 1,600 school employees are more than a few award-winners. Each year, teachers and principals in the district are recognized for their efforts, garnering awards such as the Alaska Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year and individual honors in specific areas such as technology, business education, school psychology, science, art, math and English.

"The Mat-Su Borough School District is a leader in education, providing quality learning opportunities for thousands of children in our Valley," Interim Superintendent Bob Doyle writes in his letter to the public. "Our students and our staff continue to model the true meaning of 'excellence in education.' Great things are happening in Mat-Su schools."

These great things translate into great students. Mat-Su students consistently fare well on state exams, and each year score high on national tests and win national awards.

But in addition to the facilities, staff and students, another critical piece of the Mat-Su Borough School District pie is the families and people who live in the surrounding communities.

"Parent and community participation is welcomed and important to the success of our students," Doyle writes. "Each member of our community has individual talents and skills; your involvement in our classrooms will enrich the lives of our students and staff."

More information about the Mat-Su Borough School District, and links to individual school Web sites, is available at www.mat-su.k12.ak.us/schdist/.