Thank you for learning about Lower Kuskokwim School District!
There are many unique and rewarding aspects of living and working in our community schools. In the resources section below, you will find information about our region and schools as well as helpful tips for a transition to living in rural Alaska.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the LKSD Personnel Office at (907) 543-4886 or by email.
A Glimpse of Lower Kuskokwim School District
The Lower Kuskokwim School District is an exciting and rewarding place to learn and teach in "bush" Alaska.
LKSD is the largest rural school district in Alaska with 27 schools, 350 teachers, and about 4,000 students, many of whom are Yup'ik. The landmass of the district is about the size of West Virginia, spreading along the Kuskokwim River and Bering Sea coast of southwest Alaska. Travel is by jet from Anchorage, and then by small plane, snowmobile or boat from the regional hub, Bethel, to village sites.
LKSD supports instructional staff with a robust professional development program, from whole group to individually selected courses. We also offer a teacher mentor program that includes orientation to the local culture and learning about our curriculum.
- 27 fly-in sites over an area of 22,000 miles
- Largest (by student population) off-road school district in Alaska
- Amazing professional opportunities
- Bring in up to 8 years public school experience
- Yup'ik Eskimo culture and tradition
- Starting salary $58,000 - $83,000
- Low cost health benefits for employee and dependents
- Subsidized village housing, including utilities and basic furnishings
What's Important to LKSD?
LKSD strives to find teachers who hold the following four traits considered necessary to work within the district.
1) Support bilingual and bicultural education: LKSD has the largest number of children who speak the Yup'ik language of any Alaska school district. Teachers do not need to be familiar with the language or culture, but must be open to incorporating it into their classrooms with support from staff and their communities. Parents have two main goals for their children:
a) To speak the Yup'ik language at a level of understanding allowing them to converse with their elders.
b) To use the English language at a high academic level, allowing them to succeed in college or technical training.
2) Demonstrate interest in a cross-cultural environment: LKSD wants teachers and administrators who thrive in a cross-cultural environment to see the different sites, sounds and smells of our villages as an enriching opportunity; who are comfortable in our communities and can help to create a link between the schools and the community.
3) Communicate high expectations with care: LKSD seeks teachers and administrators who have high expectations of their students' performance, coupled with the ability to foster care relationships.
4) Prepare students for the test of life: LKSD is looking for educators who can connect a rigorous curriculum to real-world applications.
Resources
LKSD Site Community Populations
A snapshot of village and school population numbers.
LKSD Benefits
A summary of LKSD benefits for new hires.
Student Activities
There is a wide variety of student activities available to our students
Teaching as Learning
Price, K. (2003). Teaching as Learning in a Yup'ik Eskimo Village. English Journal, 93(2), 42-48.
Price describes her experiences as a new teacher in Tununak, Alaska, the cultural challenges she encountered, and her personal and professional growth.
A New Teacher's Experience
Deniece Carson shares her experience as a new teacher in 2022-23 in Nightmute, Alaska.
LKSD TV
A collection of videos of our region, our students, and life on the YK Delta. (Click on "Work for Us")
LKSD Photos
Photos of our region, depicting several of our communities, life as a teacher, buildings, and landscapes.
LKSD YouTube