Education

CONGRATULATIONS— After last week’s Nome-Beltz Class of 2026 graduation ceremony, proud mother Carlee Hobbs gets a bear hug from her son Wesley.

Nome-Beltz celebrates Class of 2026

Thirty-two students graduated from Nome-Beltz High School on Wednesday, May 27, opening a new chapter in their lives. Under sunny skies, the graduates were paraded around town in a motorcade of...

NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER— David O’Neill was appointed to school board seat C until the October elections.

David O’Neill appointed to school board seat C

The Nome school board met Tuesday, May 19 for a special meeting to appoint a board member to Nancy Mendenhall’s seat. Mendenhall is leaving the board after 11 years due to personal family matters....

CONGRATULATIONS— Asaaluk Nichols shakes Chris Steppe’s hand at the UAF Northwest Campus graduation ceremony at Old St. Joe’s on Thursday, May 7.

Northwest Campus celebrates 50th commencement

Faculty, dignitaries and community members joined the Class of 2026 graduates at Old St. Joe’s last Thursday, May 7 for the 50th commencement of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus...

High school seniors voiced frustration about the lack of support for post-graduation opportunities at last week's school board meeting.

Students express frustration about post-graduation prep

Students and community showed up in force at the April meeting of the Nome Public Schools Board of Education meeting, expressing their discontent with the lack of support for graduating seniors and...

SPEAKING UP— Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Korenek-Johnson speaks at the school board meeting on Thursday, February 12.

Budget shortfall dominates school board meeting

Discussion of budget woes was the main thread throughout last week’s school board meeting. Principals discussed how classrooms and equipment in bad condition and lack of substitute teachers are...

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...