Superintendent's Office
Vision:
Educating and empowering students to be leaders, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.
Contact
Mission:
Together we foster an educational culture of academic excellence, meaningful connections, and nurturing environments to maximize every student’s unique potential.
Welcome
Dear Students, Families, Staff, and Community Members,
Welcome to the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District! It is an honor to serve as your Superintendent of Schools. Whether your family has been in Ketchikan for generations or you are brand new to our island community, I am glad you are here.
KGBSD is a PreK-12 district of seven wonderful schools serving approximately 1,800 students. We believe every child learns differently, so we offer many paths to success: traditional classrooms, online and correspondence school options, alternative programs, culturally rich learning, charter school settings, and hands-on career and technical training. Whatever your child needs, our staff will work to meet them where they are and help them grow into leaders, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.
We are here to serve your family and believe leadership means service. My job, and the job of every adult in this district, is to support the people who support our kids: our teachers, aides, bus drivers, cooks, clerks, custodians & maintenance, office staff, coaches, counselors, and principals. Every decision we make starts with one question: Is this what is best for our students?
Ketchikan is a community like no other. Our schools sit in the heart of the Tongass, on the ancestral lands of the Tlingit people, in a town enriched by Alaska Native heritage, fishing and timber families, and neighbors from around the world. We are committed to an education that honors this place and prepares our graduates to succeed anywhere, while staying proud of where they come from.
The success of our schools belongs to all of us: dedicated staff, strong school leaders, a devoted School Board, engaged families, our Tribal and community partners, and a community that shows up for its kids again and again. Our team will work every day to be worthy of your trust.
Thank you for being part of our school community. I look forward to seeing you in our schools and around town. My door is always open because this district belongs to you.
It is a privilege to serve our schools...every child, every day.
Many thanks,
Kara Four Bear, Superintendent of Schools
Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District
333 Schoenbar Road, Ketchikan, AK 99901
(907) 247-2109 (office)