John Hischer, School Board candidate.
It’s election season in Skagway and there are currently two members of the school board that are up for re-election. With two open seats, both candidates look to be shoe-ins. As part of our Candidate Profile Series, meet John Hischer, who has been on the school board for the last nine years and is up for re-election on October 5.
There are six members of Skagway’s School Board, and currently, John Hischer serves as its president. He moved to Skagway 12 years ago to take the job as the Clinical Social Worker at the Dahl Memorial Clinic.
There are no challengers for his seat so his re-election for another three-year term looks assured.
He says it’s the people he works with that have inspired him to continue serving.
“Getting to work with amazing people like the superintendent, fellow board members, teachers, students, parents, and just ensuring that the kids have a great education here in Skagway,” said Hischer.
Hischer acknowledges there are some major challenges for the school, starting with the coronavirus.
“I think, unfortunately, we’re gonna have to be really kind of coping with the pandemic for a few years, looking for ways to support teachers, to connect with students in creative ways, making sure people are safe,” said Hischer.
Hischer says another issue the school is dealing with is the lack of a proper kitchen. A kitchen renovation project was started but then stalled out due to the pandemic, leaving the school with no on-site kitchen. But that project looks to be back on track, and with an expected completion date of next September, he’s looking forward to the possibilities.
“That’s gonna boost morale. There is gonna be a classroom component to the kitchen I’m really excited about. So people learning how to cook and there are some folks I know in our school who are interested in pursuing a career in culinary arts,” said Hischer.
Hischer says in addition to strong Advanced Placement or AP classes for students on the higher education track, the school also offers a great range of options for those looking to enter the workforce after graduation.
We have on-the-job training programs for them, where we connect them to really talented adults in our community, who may be in the construction industry, the culinary industry, local government.] 4:15
As for improvements, Hischer says the school could improve its approach to mental health issues.
“I’d like to see a comprehensive mental health curriculum throughout age groups from preschool all the way up to you know, senior in high school. J ust have that part of health classes, part of just kind of the culture of the school because the kids are dealing with a lot of different stressors,” said Hischer.
The other Skagway school board member up for re-election is Cory Thole. The candidate forum for the School Board, Assembly, and Mayoral races will be held at 7 p.m. on September 20th in Assembly chambers. Listen live on KHNS FM or stream at KHNS.org.
