What is the date of our first paycheck? 

​​Per the certified negotiated agreement, teacher salary is paid in twelve (12) equal payments beginning on September 15th, and all subsequent payments are made on the 15th of the month.

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Do you have mosquitoes? 

Yes, mosquitoes are a guarantee during the warmer months in Alaska. The mixture of temperature, regular precipitation, and moist environment create optimal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.

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What is healthcare like, is it close or is travel involved? 

Bethel is considered the regional hub for healthcare and aviation. Bethel is home to the Yukon-Kuskokwim regional hospital (YKHC) with an Emergency Room and provides physician services for standard specialty areas. Most villages have health clinics that are subsidiaries of the Y.K. Health network.

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Can I bring my pets? 

Per the negotiated agreement, certified teachers living in teacher housing in our village sites may have two pets (cats and/or dogs). 

Teachers who are renting in Bethel need to follow the policy held by their landlord. 

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How do I get there?

LKSD operates out of Bethel, AK. For teachers moving to our village sites, you must go through Bethel on your way there. While most major airlines fly into Anchorage, only Alaska Air flies into Bethel. 

When booking your flights, input Bethel as your final destination. For example, if a teacher is moving from Atlanta, they would book a ticket for ATL - BET. 

To get from Bethel to a village, commercial options include Grant Aviation and Yute Commuter service. Charter options are also available and can be booked through Fox Air, Renfro’s and Grant Aviation.

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How much stuff can I bring? 

We recommend coming with the mindset of “less is more” until you get to your housing unit and find out what’s left behind from the previous tenant. For example, most housing units have leftover pots and pans, dishes, etc, so there’s no need to bring more. 

Bear in mind that village flights (example- a flight from Bethel to Quinhagak) have a maximum weight allowance of 100lb of luggage. You can bring more than that, but the airline will charge an additional fee and some of your luggage may be bumped to a later flight when the plane has more room. This is another reason we recommend shipping your belongings via the postal service ahead of time- you won’t have to pay extra baggage fees and your stuff will already be there at the local post office when you arrive. 

Bring the things that make you happy, i.e. an instrument, books, movies, etc. At the end of the day, this is your home! Make it comfortable. 

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When should I ship my belongings?

We recommend putting your items in the mail with USPS between two and three weeks prior to your anticipated arrival date.

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How do I order prescription medication? Can this be delivered?

You can set up an account with Walmart Pharmacy, CVS, Walgreens, or any of your preference and send your prescription by US Mail. Or you can set up an appointment with any provider at YKHC (the local hospital in Bethel) and use their pharmacy services.

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How much does it cost to move to where I will be working? 

It depends how much stuff you bring and if you plan on shipping it or paying extra baggage fees with the airline. If you are moving to Bethel, the rent is on your own and costs range from $800 - $2,000 plus utilities. If you are moving to a village, housing is provided and rent is subsidized with utilities included. Rent in village housing ranges from $500- $1200, depending on if you have a roommate. 

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Do teachers (and their families) have housing supplied for them? 

Teacher housing is provided for certified teachers in village sites. These housing units are furnished and include access to a washer and dryer as well as deep freezer space. 

Housing for Bethel teachers is not provided, but those employees receive a $250 monthly stipend to help offset the cost of living.

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Is there a way to fast-track certification with the state? 

There is not a "fast track," per se, but if you submit a complete application packet to the Department of Teacher Certification, they will usually process your paperwork in less than seven (7) weeks. 

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They said I'm going to be teaching in a DLE classroom. What does this mean?

This means that your students will receive half of their instruction in English and the other half in Yugtun or Cugtun (the dominant Native languages in this region). The language of instruction for each subject are as follows:

Math- English

Language Arts K-1- could be in English or C/Yugtun depending on the students’ first language (if you teach these grades, reach out to your Site Admin for more information)

Language Arts 2-6- students will receive instruction in both English Language Arts AND Yugtun Language Arts (separately)

Science- Yugtun

Social Studies- Yugtun

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Note: Unless you are a certified, Yugtun-speaking teacher, you will likely be working with a partner teacher. 

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Most of our DLE teachers teach multiple grade levels together with their partner teacher(s). For example, two teachers may share kindergarten and first grade, swapping between rooms throughout the day. If you are the English-speaking teacher, you will teach Math and (most likely) English Language Arts to two or more grade levels. If you are the Yugtun-speaking teacher, you will teach Science, Social Studies, and (depending on the grade) Yugtun Language Arts. 

We highly recommend new teachers attend our Dual Language Academy in late July. For more information, reach out to Audra Lopez at audra_lopez@lksd.org.   

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What is the closest university? 

The University of Alaska network is comprised of campuses in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. Each university is its own institution.

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How often do food orders come in? 

Food orders via Amazon or Full Circle Farms come regularly. Note that shipping times may differ from what you’re used to in the Lower 48. 

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What kind of cell service works there? Do I need a new phone?

Most teachers get a GCI phone upon arrival in Alaska. In Bethel, AT&T and Verizon usually work. However, GCI is the only carrier that services beyond Bethel in our village sites.

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I got a fingerprint card from DEED. What do I do with it?

Feel free to go ahead and visit your local police department to get your fingerprints taken and send the card into DEED. If you choose to wait, we are able to take your fingerprints here at the District Office in Bethel, so if you need us to help with that, we can take care of it upon your arrival at New Teacher Orientation. Note that you will not be able to get your fingerprints taken in the village.

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Do you provide moving expenses? Housing expenses? Are moving expenses negotiable with contract offers? 

Moving expenses are not negotiable as any sort of financial payment to any employee is covered by the Negotiated Agreement and must be negotiated with LKNEA/LKAA.