Education

New H-1B visa costs could cause long term affects to ripple across Nome Public Schools

President Donald J. Trump issued on Sept. 19 a proclamation that requires a $100,000 payment with new H1-B visa applications, effective Sept. 21. This now puts Alaska school districts, including...

SPEAKING UP – Peggy Simpson, a special education educator in the district, speaks out in support of the district retaining Mary Donaldson, the Director of Special Education, at the January 13 school board meeting.

Public comments are front and center at school board meeting

Parents showed up in force at last week’s school board meeting to voice their concerns regarding the school district’s response when a student showed up at the Nome-Beltz campus with an unloaded gun...

CHORUS – The Nome-Beltz Middle High School Chorus performs at the Winter Concert at the Nome Elementary School on Tuesday, December 16.

Nome-Beltz ushers in the holidays with Winter Concert

Community members gathered in the Nome Elementary School gymnasium on Tuesday, December 16 evening for the Nome-Beltz Middle High School Winter Concert. As the room slowly filled with parents and...

TALLYING UP— Marcus Simeonoff counts his catch while Vivian Bloodgood watches. The students were on a field trip with Sarah Liben’s science class to the inner harbor on Friday, December 12, 2025.

Nome students fish for science

Last Friday, a group of Nome-Beltz high school students decked out in their winter gear stood in two rows, fishing for tomcod in the Nome Inner Harbor. The kids weren’t playing hooky. The fishing...

CONTRABAND – Nome-Beltz Middle High School principal Teriscovkya Smith brought a box of vapes, dab pens and other illicit substances taken from students to the December school board meeting on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

Finances, vaping on the docket at Nome School Board Meeting

Discussion of finances and the ever-present vaping problem at Nome Beltz Middle High School took center stage at the December school board meeting last Tuesday, December 9. NBMHS Principal...

STATE OF THE SCHOOLS— Nome School District Superintendent Jamie Burgess delivered the state of the schools address at the Nome Common Council on Monday, Nov. 10.

Budget cuts will impact Nome schools

Nome Public Schools Superintendent Jamie Burgess delivered the annual State of the Schools address to the Nome Common Council’s work session on Monday, November 10. In her report, Burgess emphasized...

BACK TO SCHOOL— Second graders Edwin and Björn Toerdal and their mom Amanda Toerdal, welcome new Nome Elementary School Principal Michelle Carton, on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

School in Nome begins with less students than last year

By Anna Lionas | Nome Public Schools opened its doors on Tuesday for the first day of the 2025-2026 school year. Students flooded in ready to begin the new year, but the hallways are a bit emptier...

Bering Strait School Board approves tight budget

By Anna Lionas | The Bering Strait School District approved a $69.4 million budget for the 2025/26 school year, after months of working to balance a deficit budget made more difficult by a...

KEEP WORKING–Teacher Ian McRae lets speedy the snake slither around the room during work time but only if students promise not to get distracted.

School’s out for summer, but not for Speedy the snake

Photo by Ian McRae SPEEDY OUTSIDE–Speedy the snake hangs out at the Nome Elementary School playground. By Anna Lionas It’s finally summertime which means Speedy the snake will have Nome...

GRADUATED— Alohna Johnson was one of 40 students who celebrated graduation from Nome-Beltz last week on Wednesday, May 28.

Forty students graduate from Nome-Beltz

By Laura Robertson On Wednesday, May 28, Nome’s streets filled up with trucks and cars decorated in Nanook blue and white, celebrating the Nome-Beltz graduating Class of 2025 with a customary...