June 12, 2025 by Seward Folly Staff

With looming budget shortfalls based on the fear that Governor Dunleavy will veto HB57 this month, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District has begun laying off staff, with recent cuts affecting a range of positions from library aides to theatre technicians and pool managers. Among those let go are Jessica Bamford and Jen Ransom, both school library aides; Meegan Miller, a theatre technician; and Nita Hollingsworth, the pool manager. The district had already eliminated 160 jobs earlier in the year by not renewing contracts for non-tenured teachers, a move that hit Seward schools especially hard.

Earlier reductions have included:

• Student Success Liaisons (SSL)
• Migrant Student Support Specialists
• Migrant Tutors
• Title I Tutors
• Special Education Paraprofessionals
• Guidance/Career Assistants
• Supply Buyers

In Seward, those laid off include Matt Huffman (Career and Technical Education), Amelia Bagheri (secondary science), Jason Leslie (secondary art), Kim Barhaug (middle school math), Jonathan Le Shana (SSL) and Erin Pearce (elementary). These cuts leave the high school with no science or art teachers, and a 50% reduction of distance education classes. It also leaves the elementary school with no Quest program, very high class sizes, and a complicated combination of grade levels in classes that will impact quality of learning.

Now, with the state budget in limbo and Governor Dunleavy proposing more reductions to education funding, district employees are bracing for more uncertainty and stress — if not complete chaos.

Notably, the layoffs of library aides, theatre staff, and pool managers were not originally included in next year’s proposed budget.

“This came as a complete shock: we were never on the list of cuts. We are both still processing this loss. We never asked the community to advocate for school libraries in this budget cycle because they were never threatened with closure.”

– Jen Ransom, Seward High School Library Aide

These particular notices came as a shocking surprise, but also came after repeated education budget cuts across Alaska over the last several years. In the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, only five schools have certified teacher-librarians left, and some of them work part-time.

Jessica Bamford, Seward Middle and Elementary Library Aide, explained: “The term ‘aide’ is misleading. We run the library. I’ve watched as schools, one by one, have lost their certified librarians. There are 42 schools in our District, and almost half of them have no library services, with the collection often managed by the school secretary. About 17 have part-time library aides.”

Library staff do more than just check out books. They teach students how to find and judge information, use the internet safely, and help teachers get materials and technology for the classroom. For many kids — especially those in rural or low-income areas — the school library is their main source of books. When the statewide book mailing service ended, students already had fewer options. Now, losing library staff makes access even harder.

“It’s more than just shelving books,” said one teacher about Bamford and Ransom. “They helped students discover a love of reading, guided them to materials that matched their interests and reading levels, and turned our library into a welcoming space. Their absence will be felt every day.”

As for the pool, it will reopen June 23, after routine maintenance, but after August 15, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen, according to pool manager Nita Hollingsworth. The district has not clarified any path forward, other than pushing out layoff notices. Hollingsworth quit her career job after 21 years to become the pool manager after the district made it clear that without one the pool would close. This was after she and Emilee Sawyer got their Certified Pool Operator’s licenses. These two women, among many others in this community, have fought hard for years to keep the doors of the pool open.

Understanding school funding

Earlier this year, the Alaska Legislature voted to override the governor’s veto of House Bill 57, which increases the “Base Student Allocation” (BSA) — the amount of money the state gives per student to support public schools. House Bill 57 raises this amount by $700 per student. Overriding the governor is very rare in the state’s history and sent a clear message of support for schools from the legislature.

The BSA is a key part of how Alaska funds schools. It has not kept up with inflation, so it’s getting almost impossible for districts to pay for things like utilities, supplies, transportation, and staff. When costs go up but state funding stays the same, schools have to make cuts, even if student needs are the same or higher. Alaska’s BSA has not increased in nearly ten years.

KPBSD gets money from both the State of Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Most of the budget comes from the state, mainly through the BSA. The borough also adds local tax money, up to a certain limit set by law. These two sources together decide how much the district can spend on schools.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Members and Mayor Micciche strongly support education and have indicated they’ll give as much funding as possible this year.

“Governor Dunleavy now has the right to add cuts to line items such as education in the State budget. I’ve heard rumors of the Governor cutting as low as $340. He could take it down to $0 if he wanted. It would be great if he didn’t, but realistically we needed to let our employees know so they can plan. We’re going to have to make some very difficult decisions. It is not a choice we want to make.”

– Zen Kelly, KPBSD Board President

The governor must make any final budget cuts by June 19, the end of the school district’s fiscal year. This late timing leaves the district in a tough spot, with many questions still unanswered about how the education budget will be affected.

“We’re in a really tough situation right now, and employees need to be aware that layoffs are happening,” said Zen Kelly, president of the KPBSD Board. In an email to staff, Nate Crabtree, the district’s Executive Director of Human Resources, explained that the layoffs are a direct result of uncertainty around Governor Dunleavy’s pending budget decisions. He added, “Once the Governor finalizes KPBSD’s funding, the Board of Education will be able to make staffing decisions for the coming school year. If library aide positions aren’t ultimately cut as part of the budget, those who have been laid off may be called back in line with our collective bargaining agreement.”

“Supporters of school libraries, pools, theatre programs and teachers are encouraged to make their voices heard. If you value these resources and the staff who keep them running, now is the time to contact Governor Dunleavy and ask him not to use line-item vetoes to cut education funding,” Kelly concluded, obviously not looking forward to making even tougher decisions about the budget later this month. Community input makes a difference in protecting these vital services for students across the Kenai Peninsula.

Call the Governor’s office

(907) 465-3500

Email Governor Dunleavy