🌱 Anchorage School District Budget + Camp Fire Alaska

Good day, neighbors! Miranda Fraraccio here with today's issue of the Anchorage Daily.

First, today's weather:

Very cold; a little p.m. snow. High: 15 Low: 11.

Here are the top stories today in Anchorage:

1. The Anchorage School District provided the school board with its first look at the budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year on Monday. The pro forma financial outlook forecasted a $67.09 million-dollar deficit for the district heading into next year to maintain the same services as FY 2021-22 before the allocation of federal funding. The presentation of the district’s financial outlook is the first step towards finalizing a budget for next year. (Alaska News Source)
2. Camp Fire Alaska is being recognized for the success of its Learning Pod Program that launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new program was created out of a dire need in the community to serve youth who were having the most difficulty with access to remote learning. Camp Fire Alaska staff teams were specially trained to work with teachers at three schools in the Anchorage area: Muldoon, Chester Valley, and North Star Elementary. They assisted youth in logging on to their online classrooms and gave them the support they needed to thrive, including having access to meals and after school activities. (Anchorage Press)
3. Leaders in communities of color are calling the abrupt retirement of Anchorage's first Black police chief, Ken McCoy, a loss for the entire city. McCoy did not say why he is leaving the department after 27 years and has declined multiple interview requests. Multiple high-ranking officials and administrators have left the city since Bronson took office in July, and though many are disappointed by McCoy's departure, some are not surprised "just considering the level of instability in the administration right now,” Assembly member Felix Rivera said. (Yahoo)

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Today in Anchorage:

• 2021 Alaska Chamber Winter Forum - Alaska State Chamber of Commerce (All Day)
• Self Guided Storytime Journey @ MV - Mountain View Branch Library (2:00 PM)
• LEGO Challenge @ Muldoon - Muldoon Branch Library (3:30 PM)
• Card Making @ Gerrish - Scott and Wesley Gerrish Branch Library (3:30 PM)
• Ambassador Council - Anchorage Chamber of Commerce (4:00 PM)
• YPG Adopt-a-Trail Cleanup - Anchorage Chamber of Commerce (4:30 PM)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some friends and neighbors into the fold. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. She works as a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and as an assistant producer for a live-lit storytelling show in Chicago. She holds a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies from The University of Rhode Island. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.