Steller Secondary School
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Steller Secondary School is an alternative school located in Anchorage, Alaska. The Anchorage School District established the school in 1974 as a response to a proposal by the Committee of Alternative Secondary Education. Steller was named after George Wilhelm Steller, a naturalist from Germany who traveled with Vitus Bering on an exploratory voyage to Alaska. The school was named after him because of various personal traits such as independence, the love of knowledge, courage, and a pioneering spirit.
History
For the first nine years of its existence, Steller was located in the old North Star Elementary School building. After much political activity by Steller parents, the Alaska Legislature approved funds to remodel the school and add a new gym as well as a drama facility/auditorium. In 1992, the auditorium was rebuilt after a structural failure caused the roof to collapse, leaving nearly everything ruined except for the stage's curtains. The voters of Anchorage approved a school bond in 2003 to provide funding for the addition of a new science lab and relocation and renovation of the staff lounge, offices surrounding the gymnasium, and the special education office. This construction was completed in October 2004.
Student demographics and government
Steller accepts students in grades 7-12 from anywhere in the Municipality of Anchorage through a lottery process. However, their student population is almost always maintained at under 300 students. Steller's governmental system is based on the counseling group, where each classroom teacher is assigned a group of 20-30 students. This counseling group elects one representative from each grade group (7-8 and 9-12) to the Operational Group, which deals with the day-to-day school issues, as well as the student funds.
In addition, the high school (9-12) representative is also a member of the Advisory Board, which handles larger issues, such as the school's philosophy, policies and bylaws. The Steller Advisory Board is notable because it has real power to change the workings of the school, from changing classroom hours, to eliminating the grading system (which has been considered, but never adopted). As a public school, Steller's policies must stay within the requirements of the Anchorage School District (or at least below the radar otherwise), but everything else is open to discussion and modification by the Advisory Board. On all committees where voting is involved, students always have a larger number of potential votes than staff or parents.
Staff demographics
Steller has a very small staff, consisting of 13 full-time classroom teachers, 1 part-time classroom teacher, 5 special education staff and 4 office staff, as well as a part-time librarian and two music teachers who are shared with other schools within the school district. As such, staff turnover has a large effect on the Steller community.
Principal
Dorothy Oetter has been Steller's principal for the last seven years, but will be retiring at the end of the 2004-2005 school year. The Steller community had a dispute with the Anchorage School District regarding the selection of a new principal. The Anchorage School District has a collective bargaining agreement with the principal's association in Anchorage which requires that interviews be conducted in a way which does not agree with the principles of Steller. Attempts were made to resolve this issue, but were overturned by the district.
On May 26, 2005, the Anchorage School Board approved Karin Parker as the Steller principal for the 2005-2006 school year.
Current Developments
A policy is being developed for the decommissioning (removal) of murals. Steller students are free to paint murals on the walls with approval from the principal and student body, but wall space is becoming an issue as murals exist from as far back as 1982 or earlier.
Notable students
- The singer Jewel briefly attended the school
Notable graduates
- Trajan Langdon, basketball player
- Mark Begich, mayor of Anchorage, Alaska
- Gretchen Guess, Alaska State House Representative (2000-2002) and Alaska State Senator (2002-2006)