STC grant helps school mitigate COVID-19 - The Skagway News.

According to Sara Kinjo-Hischer, the chief executive of the tribe, the Skagway Heritage Council (STC) provided a grant of $60,000 to Skagway City School in a “responding to COVID ".

"The supervisor's money was eaten up almost immediately," said Dr. Josh Coughlan, the head of the school. Coughlan said that between new furniture that can be easily disinfected, deep cleaning of buildings, hand sanitizer and masks, the school’s pandemic budget is rapidly dwindling.

Skagway School used STC grants to purchase two hands-free temperature kiosks for remote and quick temperature checks when students enrolled. The purchase of air purifiers for each classroom includes a year's replacement of filters, 120 stackable chairs and additional carpet cleaning during Christmas breaks.

The funding also enables the school to provide families with a monthly Internet service credit of $35, and the Alaska Power and Telephone Company will provide it with a total of $70 in credits. The credits can be used at the end of the school year. If any other COIVD-19 situation occurs in the community and the school is cancelled, students will be ready for online learning.

Coughran predicts that the school will eventually provide about $20,000 in internet bills. He thanked STC for its contribution.

"They are always looking for ways to help us," Coughran said.