- Areawide Assembly
- Jeff Jones
- Nano Brooks
- Ella Adkison
- JoAnn Wallace
- Paul Kelly
- Emily Mesch
- Laura Martinson McDonnell
- Ivan Nance
- Michele Stuart-Morgan
- Dorene Lorenz
- District 2 Assembly
- David Morris
- Christine Woll
- School Board
- David Noon
- Britteny Cioni-Haywood
- Paige Sipniewski
- District 1 Assembly
- Alicia Hughes-Skandijs
- Joe Geldhof
Age as of Oct. 3, 2023
32
Family (immediate/those you live with)
Stanley, Isaiah, Jaxon, and Charlotte Sipniewski
Occupation
State of Alaska – Administrative Office 2
Previous relevant experience or community involvement
I’m a mom with 3 kids in Juneau, I’ve been a volunteer to help with children’s sports. I am committed to my community that I’ve lived in for 32 years and my time with the state have grown my skills in budget.
Highest level of education
High School
Did you attend public school?
Yes
Briefly, what do you think is the most important part of K-12 education?
Our student’s test scores are unacceptable. Kids are extremely behind in math, reading, and writing. We must prioritize these subjects and find solutions to retain the best teachers. Class sizes for kids k-5 also appear to be way too large with over 30 kids in some classes. There is no way that kids will be able to learn with that many kids in one class. We must do better.
What makes you a good candidate for the Juneau school board?
I think what makes me a good candidate for the Juneau school board is I’m a lifelong Juneauite, I care about our community and the kids that are growing up in it. I’m a mom of four kids and I think I have a diverse perspective on what works for children as far as learning. I want them to focus on reading, writing and math and getting our test scores up and retaining good quality educators.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the Juneau School District right now?
The biggest challenge is probably funding. Enrollment is down and costs are going up. I think a BSA increase is definitely on the table, maybe not as much as is being proposed. But an increase also needs to increase our children’s test scores, and we need to see an improvement along with any funding that’s going to be increased in the test scores.
If the school district were to consolidate schools and close certain campuses, what factors do you think district leaders should consider?
I definitely think consolidations of schools is on the table. Factors that need to be considered are how can this be spread evenly among the districts, and not overwhelming folks and not cutting people jobs. I know people leave – could that job just be eliminated just like the State of Alaska has eliminated jobs by people leaving? They seem to be very admin-heavy in some schools. Can those be, not eliminated, but when someone leaves, can duties be absorbed by somebody else?
How do you think the district should handle communicating with parents during emergencies?
I think the district is doing a good job as far as communicating through email and text and alerting parents as soon as a situation is unfolding. These things are happening across the country, and unfortunately it’s very scary and it’s a reality. Just providing training on what the kids can do in emergency situations. I know they do that at some schools, I don’t know about all of them.
Do you think transgender students should be allowed to use bathrooms and play on sports teams that match their gender identity rather than their sex assigned at birth?
While I respect anyone’s choice to identify how they want to, I am for protecting girls and children’s innocence. Little girls should not have a transgender girl in the bathroom or on their sports teams because there is a biological difference, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for kids to be changing in locker rooms or using bathrooms with girls.