SITKA SCHOOL DISTRICT

www.ssd.k12.ak.us
300 Kostrometinoff Street
Sitka, Alaska 99835
Phone: (907) 747-8622
Fax: (907) 966-1260

TO: Mayor Dapcevich and Assembly Members

John Stein, Administrator

FROM: Scott McAdams, President, Sitka School Board

DATE: June 19, 2007

RE: Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Act

Dear Mayor Dapcevich, Members of the Assembly and Administrator Stein,

Greetings from the School District! The recent one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self Determination Act has been great news for our community and our region.
It is rewarding to know that the time and treasure dedicated by many Southeast Alaskan leaders
toward this extension paid dividends in its passage. As the Sitka School District and individual
board members invested a great deal of effort in doing our part to secure this one year measure, I
would like to invite the Assembly to unite with us in our ongoing advocacy to secure a full five
year extension of this important program.

This development combined with the efforts of our State Legislature to increase education
funding for FY 08 has eliminated the need to cut positions and services this year as forecasted in
our originally submitted budget. At our budget work session with you this spring, we adopted an
assumption that the Borough contribution would be reduced commensurate to the amount lost
from an eliminated timber receipt program. However, it was also our belief that if the program
was extended or reauthorized, we would be receiving our full portion at last year’s level (and the
possibility of the traditional 3% annual Borough increase).

The Sitka School Board respectfully requests full funding at last years level from the timber
receipts money. It is the desire of the board to dedicate the majority of these dollars to our fund
balance, as our auditors have suggested that our ratio of available reserves relative to our
operations expenses is lower than recommended. We also hope to use a portion of these dollars on
the replacement of small capital and other one-time expenses.

Please feel free to contact me or any board member regarding this request. I look forward to
working with you on behalf of our kids.

"Educating Today's Children to Become Tomorrow's Leaders"