You Thought You Were Working in the Dark?
 For example, right now it’s dark in Barrow. When the sun dips below the horizon in mid-November, that’s the last time they see it until mid-January. Two months with no sun. Yet they take pride in being able to read a book outside in their campus centers which apparently helps alleviate cabin fever. I’ll take their word for it. Personally, it’s tough enough this time of year leaving for work in the dark and getting back home in the dark. It’s also got to wreak havoc on their electric bills. But above the Arctic Circle, it’s business as usual. The 2,000 students in North Slope attend 11 different schools in eight villages. There are no roads connecting the villages in this region. Need to schedule a field trip? Don’t bother calling the bus garage. You’ll need to call the airport instead. All trips to neighboring districts (I use the term neighboring loosely) are made by plane. Talk about an impact on the athletics budget. Wonder how many times a coach or teacher questions that field trip cost? Buses are used within each village and provide door-to-door transportation for all students. It’s not because they live more than 1.5 miles away - most homes are located close to the community centers. In this region Polar bears routinely walk down the street. It’s simply not safe to have students waiting at the bus stop. That provides a whole new perspective to consolidating bus stops. Need to stock the kitchen shelves? Don’t bother calling your local food distributer. Instead, get your order to the distributer in Fairbanks – 500 miles away – and wait for the next charter plane to arrive. In some cases, orders are placed with distributers in the lower 48 continental states, as the food prices are much less expensive making the transportation costs worth it. That would put an extra emphasis on proper menu planning. Want to build a new school in Barrow? In addition to significantly more rigid building and energy codes you’ll need to submit plans to the Alaskan State Council on the Arts. All new or remodeled facilities must include works of art relating to Native culture, in this case that of the Inupiat natives. In addition to the 11 schools, the maintenance department is responsible for 7 support buildings and, get ready for this, 144 district owned houses. Apparently getting new teachers in northern Alaska can be challenging so incentives such as subsidized housing are used. Talk about a diverse workload. Not to mention travel time - 600 miles from one end of the district to the other. So how do they do it? In many ways, the same way we do. Technology continues to be a great equalizer around the world. Satellites provide phone and Internet services. They have a seven person Board of Education and a strategic plan. They conduct standardized testing and their schools have mission statements, websites and Facebook pages (although not too many high school FB home pages have a picture of students standing on a harvested whale). They have web based financial and payroll systems, direct deposit and online employment applications. They use SchoolDude to schedule repairs and track work orders. They have on-line lunch menus and bus schedules. Their buildings are multi-purpose facilities used by the entire community. Basically, they’re providing the same services as us and working smarter and doing more with less, just like we are. And just like us, they’re doing whatever it takes each day to meet the needs of their students. The Inupiat people have inhabited the Arctic for thousands of years. Their name translates to “the real people.” Last winter, as we dealt with the historic Polar Vortex, many districts cancelled school as the wind-chills approached -20 or -30 degrees. In Barrow they don’t cancel school until the actual temperature reaches -40. Just like us, only tougher. |
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