News Stories
Alaska Watchman
Tears of joy mark approval of hard-won Alaska charter school in secluded Nikolaevsk
By Joel Davidson
After years of struggling to convince the Kenai School District to let them operate their own unique public charter school, residents of Nikolaevsk broke into tears of joy after the school board approved the school along a narrow 5-3 vote earlier this month.
Located roughly 20 miles outside of Homer on the Kenai Peninsula, Nikolaevsk is a quiet community established in 1968 by Russian Old Believers. Since then, it has grown to over 300 residents, most of whom share a common desire to live a quieter life, connected to faith, family and traditional work such as farming, fishing, the trades and craft making.
Over the past four years, parents and community members have submitted multiple applications to found their own specialized charter school to serve village students. Despite immense struggles, including denials of approval, missed deadlines and lengthy public hearings in which school organizers were riddled with questions about finances, building maintenance, enrollment numbers and curriculum choices, the school board finally gave the green light for the school to open in the fall of 2026.
Continue reading at Alaska Watchman
Peninsula Clarion
School board approves initial Nikolaevsk charter application
The application will next be forwarded to the State Board of Education and Early Development for review.
By Delcenia Cosman
An initial application for the proposed Nikolaevsk charter school narrowly passed before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education during a special meeting on Monday.
Approval of the charter school application required a majority vote of the board, with a minimum of five votes in favor. A motion to approve the application passed with a 5-3 vote. Board members Kelley Cizek, Dianne MacRae, Patti Truesdell, Mica VanBuskirk and Ash-Lee Waddell voted in favor. Board vice president Tim Daugharty and board members Sarah Douthit and Penny Vadla voted against the motion. Board president Jason Tauriainen was not present at the meeting.
During the board’s discussion of the application, several concerns were raised by board members regarding some financial aspects related to the application, as well as the charter school academic policy committee’s intent to reopen Nikolaevsk School, which was closed earlier this year due to low enrollment and as a cost-saving measure for the district in the face of a multi-million dollar deficit, for use by the charter school and the Nikolaevsk community.
Continue Reading at the Peninsula Clarion
https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/school-board-approves-initial-nikolaevsk-charter-application/
KDLL
School board OKs Nikolaevsk charter school
KDLL | By Ashlyn O'Hara
A new K-12 charter school is on track to open its doors in Nikolaevsk next school year. That’s after school board members voted Monday in favor of an application from the community. For charter organizers, the vote is a long-awaited victory, but he approval came despite concerns from district officials about the charter’s viability.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District board of education vote came down 5-3 in the charter group’s favor, including the two new members seated last month. Board President Jason Tauriainen was absent.
Of the members who supported the charter, more than one suggested approval would reward the organizers’ hard work.
“It's a bumpy road,” said Mica VanBuskirk, the new eastern peninsula representative. “I think there's some uncertainty here. I can absolutely appreciate the administration's concerns. I think as a school board, it's time for us to take a chance on these guys. They have, they have really worked hard.”
That uncertainty refers to a number of problems identified by school district administrators – including the Nikolaevsk Charter group’s proposed budget, facility, enrollment projections, operating plan and compliance with state law.
Continue Reading at KDLL
https://www.kdll.org/local-news/2025-11-17/school-board-oks-nikolaevsk-charter-school