Schools across the United States are facing a challenging teacher shortage as fewer people join the profession compared to the number of folks who retire or leave. To keep schools running smoothly, many districts are looking abroad — namely to the Philippines. In Part 1 of Mabuhay sa Alaska, KMXT’s Brian Venua reports that schools in Alaska are more desperate than most.

The school system's financial situation is only getting more dire, as politicians in Juneau scramble to figure out how to increase funding for schools. It’s submitting a draft budget to local government for approval this week.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is another victim of the Trump administration’s executive order cuts on March 15. The service provided Kodiak nonprofits hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years.

A transformer for the water pump was reported stolen in November and Kodiak Island Borough School District had to truck water there to keep the school open. It has since been replaced and the investigation was closed due to a lack of evidence.

Kodiak has joined the list of Alaska communities that have lost a school in recent years after its school board voted to close North Star Elementary School at a special meeting on Jan. 22.

The board will make a decision at a special meeting on Jan. 22, when it will also consider stratification. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the district services conference room. The meeting will also be broadcast both on KMXT and online. KMXT's Davis Hovey asked Brian Venua to break down some of the highlights ahead of the decision.

Kodiak could be less than a week from losing one of its four elementary schools. The island’s school district held a town hall meeting on Monday to hear from the public before making its decision next week. Emotions are high as officials try to balance the budget.

North Star and Peterson Elementary schools are recommended for potential closure as KIBSD faces an $8 million budget deficit. The community has three weeks allotted for public comment before the board is expected to make a decision on Jan. 20.

Main and North Star Elementary schools are both on the chopping block. The district’s superintendent is expected to present which one she will recommend to close as officials address an $8 million budget deficit.

McCown joins Kodiak College from UAA's Kenai Peninsula College. She'll be leading the $4 million federally-funded program to provide support services for migrant students, like seafood workers or their kids.