Surcharges, surcharges, and more surcharges

I got nervous about shipping the boxes to Tunt after we had an issue shipping a box to Georgia. The post office wanted to charge an oversized surcharge of $50 on an item with a girth of 116 inches. I went home and grabbed one of the containers that was shippable and took it to the post office. I had been told by the post office I could ship a container with a girth up to 130 inches and a weight up 70 pounds. Seventy pounds would cost $27. I put the container on the scale and it weighed 69.8 pounds and had a girth of 110 inches, this item should ship parcel post for lees that $27, right. No, wrong. The post office now tells me I have to pay an oversized surcharge because the girth is over 108 inches. The postmaster now enters, and questions why the container is subject to a surcharge, the clerk shows him what the computer says. He tells her to enter it another way and it removes the surcharge and he allows me to ship it that way. He cautioned me that I may have to pay the surcharge on the other end if the post office determines it is oversized. He then told me to bring in a container to have it checked before I pack them. I went home and got a different container and brought it in to be checked. The clerk measured its girth at 92 inches and then put it on the scale to see what the computer told her. Since the girth was over 88 inch there was a balloon surcharge of $3.40, another hidden charge. The clerk and the postmaster said they did not know why there was a balloon surcharge on it, except that the federal government is trying to get all the revenue it can. I went back home packed it with 54 pounds took it back to the post office and shipped it. Guess what, no surcharge showed up this time, I guess a balloon surcharge was because the empty container was to light.


I also learned today that zip ties work better for sealing a plastic container than tape. Just drill holes around the lip and zip tie them up. Works like a charm.

I learned more about hosing

Okay, I feel better after talking with the Assistant Superintendent. Alaska has a strong bargaining teacher union, unlike Georgia, and the assignment of housing is governed by the teacher’s and administrator’s negotiated agreement. There is no stipulated principal housing, which unit people live in is determined by the union representative and the principal before school is out. So, I will live with whichever unit I am assigned and it seems that unit is WT10. The only issue remaining is what all did they strip from the house? Guess I will find that out when I get on site. I am flying in on July 26, 2010 and will be in the village for a week and then head back to Bethel for a Site Administrator meeting.


Next exciting activity: Take my big containers to the post office. At the post office they told me it will only take a week to a week and a half to get to Tunt, so there is no big rush.

My First Controversy

Just a little venting today:


Well, I have not even sent in my signed contract yet and I already have my first controversy. It is about housing. Seems the last two Site Administrators (SA) have been assigned to WT16 (house number), but when the SA left this year he allowed a teaching couple to move from their assigned unit, WT10, into the unit normally/currently assigned to the SA. Seems like they stripped WT10 before they left, took the satellite box, light bulbs, lamps, microwave, etc. The houses come furnished to some extent and this all came to light when I talked to the maintenance mechanic to find out what was in the house so I could figure out what I needed to ship. Surprise, I need a lot since the house has been stripped.

I have been around schools long enough to know when a teacher leaves the scavengers hit the room and take whatever is not nailed down. I have always felt this was a disrespectful practice to the incoming teacher and have stopped it when I had a chance. I guess I am just feeling a little disrespected here.

I am confident I can live in whichever unit I am assigned, but would like to know the protocol for assigning units and what the role of the SA is in the assignment. I am confident this will not be the last controversy, but I am also confident there will be more constructive moments than controversial ones in the coming school year.

Accepted a Site Administrators Position in the Bush

Well I finished my first year in Alaska. Things did not go as well as I hoped in Delta Junction, but it was a good year overall. The school actually did well even if it is resistant to change. The wildlife and scenery were fantastic! I learned a lot about living in Alaska but I have a lot more to learn.

I am now leaving the road system and moving to the bush. I am going to be the Site Administrator at Lewis Angapak Memorial School in Tuntutuliak (Tunt), AK. Tunt is in Southwest Alaska below Bethel on a river that feeds into Kuskokwim Bay and then the Bering Sea. This is a fly in only location most of the year, with travel by boat during the summer months. The primary language in the village is Yup’ik. There are around 370 people living in Tunt.

The school is K-12 with about 140 students and 11 certified staff members. K through second grades is taught in Yup’ik with an English ESL class. Grades three through 12 are required to take a Yup’ik class yearly. Learning the culture and customs of the Native Alaskans will be my first mission.

Housing is available through the school district, Lower Kuskokwim School District. The house I am supposed to rent has 1250 square feet with running water and a flushing toilet. I can mail packages with a 138 girth and 70 pounds for $27 dollars. So far I have five containers packed and ready to mail.

More as I find out.