Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/04/2003 03:02 PM House HES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES
STANDING COMMITTEE
March 4, 2003
3:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Peggy Wilson, Chair
Representative Carl Gatto, Vice Chair
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Kelly Wolf
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Mary Kapsner
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Cheryll Heinze
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Education and Early Development
Shirley Holloway - Juneau
Richard Mauer - Delta Junction
Tim Scott - Anchorage
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8
Requesting the Governor to declare March 16 - 22, 2003, to be
Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week.
- MOVED HCR 8 OUT OF COMMITTEE
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Education and Early Development
Sylvia Reynolds - Soldotna
Rex Rock - Point Hope
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HCR 8
SHORT TITLE:INHALANTS AND POISONS AWARENESS WEEK
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S)KAPSNER
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
02/19/03 0246 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
02/19/03 0246 (H) HES
03/04/03 (H) HES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
SHIRLEY HOLLOWAY, Ph.D., Appointee
to the Board of Education and Early Development
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development and answered questions from the
committee.
RICHARD MAUER, Appointee
to the Board of Education and Early Development
Delta Junction, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development and answered questions from the
committee.
TIM SCOTT, Appointee
to the Board of Education and Early Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development and answered questions from the
committee.
ZOANN MURPHY, Health and Social Services Planner
Community Health and Emergency Medical Services Section
Division of Public Health
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HCR 8 and answered
questions from the committee.
SYLVIA REYNOLDS, Appointee
to the Board of Education and Early Development
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development and answered questions from the
committee.
REX ROCK, Appointee
to the Board of Education and Early Development
Point Hope, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Education and Early Development and answered questions from the
committee.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-21, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR PEGGY WILSON called the House Health, Education and Social
Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:02 p.m.
Representatives Wilson, Gatto, Seaton, and Wolf were present at
the call to order. Representatives Cissna and Kapsner arrived
as the meeting was in progress.
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Education and Early Development
CHAIR WILSON announced that the first order of business would be
confirmation hearings for the appointees to the Board of
Education and Early Development. Chair Wilson announced that
the appointees would be testifying via teleconference.
Number 0072
SHIRLEY HOLLOWAY, Ph.D., Appointee to the Board of Education and
Early Development, gave a brief history of her 40-year career in
education, 33 years of those in Alaska. She said that she hopes
her experience, passion, and energy can help to continue to
shape the best public education system for Alaska.
Number 0174
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if a new commissioner of the
Department of Education and Early Development would be someone
who had worked for her in the past.
DR. HOLLOWAY replied that is a distinct possibility.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if it would be a problem working for
someone she previously had working under her.
Number 0243
DR. HOLLOWAY replied that the commissioner of the Department of
Education and Early Development serves at the pleasure of the
governor and the Board of Education and Early Development. She
added that the board is a governance and policymaking body, not
an administrative or management body as the department is. Dr.
Holloway said that there is a distinct line drawn between those
who manage and those who set policy.
Number 0294
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON made a motion to advance the confirmation
of Shirley Holloway, appointee to the Board of Education and
Early Development, to the joint session for consideration.
There being no objection, the confirmation of Shirley Holloway
was advanced.
Number 0377
RICHARD MAUER, Appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, told the committee he looks forward to serving on
the board because he believes the education system needs to be
fully accountable. Mr. Mauer said he wants to assure that the
state has adequate facilities and equitable funding. He told
the committee he sees the new federal legislation, "No Child
Left Behind Act," (NCLB) as an opportunity to work for the
advancement of the State's goals in improving public education.
He said there needs to be some accommodation for Alaska's
uniqueness. Mr. Mauer told the committee he has invested many
years in education and would like to continue his service to the
State of Alaska.
Number 0486
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked Mr. Mauer if he belongs to any other
organizations that the committee would be familiar with.
MR. MAUER replied that he is the past president of the
Association of Alaska School Boards [and continues to be a
director] and has served on the local school board in Delta
Junction.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if Mr. Mauer sees a conflict in
serving on the Board of Education and Early Development and
still serving as a member of the Association of Alaska School
Boards.
MR. MAUER said he sees no conflict whatsoever; in fact, he told
the committee he believes one role complements the other.
Number 0545
CHAIR WILSON asked if there is a specific focus he would want to
pursue in his service on the Board of Education and Early
Development.
MR. MAUER told the committee he is very interested in the school
designator program and efforts to redesign it to meet the NCLB
requirements. He told the committee this program will be going
to the peer review committee at the U.S. Department of Education
on March 12. He said this is a critical element in assisting
schools to improve student achievement. Mr. Mauer told the
committee he sees this program as very constructive and he wants
to see it through.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked Mr. Mauer if NCLB would make the
school designator program unnecessary.
MR. MAUER replied that the school designator program is set in
state law, so the state would be working on this program even if
there were no NCLB.
Number 0756
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON made a motion to advance the confirmation
of Richard Mauer, appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, to the joint session for consideration. There
being no objection, the confirmation of Richard Mauer was
advanced.
Number 0842
TIM SCOTT, Appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, gave the committee a brief history of his
educational and professional background. He told the committee
he currently is the chief executive officer for a charter school
and has been intimately involved in school reform for the past
four years. He said that he believes his diverse background
will enable him to meet the complex challenges facing the state
in the implementation of the NCLB.
Number 0926
CHAIR WILSON asked Mr. Scott at what point he sees it necessary
to institute charter schools versus working with the traditional
public schools to improve education.
MR. SCOTT replied that he sees no point where the state should
ever stop trying to improve public education in the traditional
schools. Charter schools are statutorily available and an
outstanding option. The approval process for instituting a
charter school is a long and involved process. Local school
districts are the sponsoring agent and he believes that is a
good thing, although with some of his peers that is not a
popular view. Mr. Scott also said he believes charter schools
are helping traditional schools to make changes to improve
education.
Number 1029
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if he was a participant in the
creation of a charter school.
MR. SCOTT replied that he has been involved with the creation of
Frontier Charter School in Anchorage.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked how many charter schools are in
Anchorage not including Frontier Charter School.
MR. SCOTT replied that there are only three.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked Mr. Scott if he considers them to be
successful.
MR. SCOTT said that depends on how success is defined. If
success is defined by enrollment, then the schools have been
successful. He explained that when it comes to charter schools,
they each have their own flavor. He cited one case where a
charter school closed because it got into a financial bind. He
said that particular charter school served an important
population, had some good ideas, and did some good things.
However, it was unsuccessful financially.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if charter schools excel over
traditional public schools.
MR. SCOTT replied that he knows Family Partnership does because
it is involved in the performance review in the district.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked how many students are typically in a
charter school classroom.
MR. SCOTT said that depends on the makeup of the charter. He
said that Family Partnership School serves home school kids, so
all the school has is four walls and a desk. He said he knows
that other charter schools in the district tend to have 20 and
less.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked if the charter school Mr. Scott is
involved with has a building.
MR. SCOTT told the committee the charter school has an office
building in mid-town, and is set up like a business with a
records office and support to parents. He said the children do
not meet at that location.
Number 1198
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON made a motion to advance the confirmation
of Tim Scott, appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, to the joint session for consideration. There
being no objection, the confirmation of Tim Scott was advanced.
CHAIR WILSON told the committee the two remaining appointees are
not on line yet, so the committee will come back to their
confirmation as they are available.
HCR 8-INHALANTS AND POISONS AWARENESS WEEK
Number 1250
CHAIR WILSON announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8, "Requesting the Governor to
declare March 16 - 22, 2003, to be Inhalants and Poisons
Awareness Week."
Number 1275
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER, sponsor of HCR 8, explained the
importance of the resolution before the committee, which asks
the governor to proclaim Inhalant and Poison Abuse Awareness
Week. She told the committee the proclamation would coincide
with the national Inhalant and Poisons Awareness Week on March
16-22. Representative Kapsner said she knows many of the
members are aware of the serious problem inhalant abuse is for
Alaska; however, she believes there is a long way to go in
educating Alaska and the nation in understanding the prevalence
of inhalant abuse and the resulting damage that can occur.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER pointed out that inhalants are not drugs;
most of the substances people huff are not contraband. There
are over 1,400 commonly used and legal household, office, and
classroom products that can be used to get high. Inhalant highs
are the result of intensive penetration of toxic chemicals into
the brain tissue, where they are capable of causing irreversible
damage. She told the committee there is a perception that this
may be a rural problem or a Native problem, but it is not. It
is a national epidemic. In a 1999 nationwide survey of 8th
graders 19.5 percent said they had used inhalants, compared with
22 percent who have tried marijuana and hashish. The use is
comparable.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER told the committee that in addition to
brain, liver, lung, and bone marrow damage, there is evidence
that chronic abuse of some inhalants causes chromosomal and
fetal damage. Inhalant abuse can occur in children as young as
four, five, or six years old, if they are huffing with their
older brothers and sisters. Inhalant abuse is very common in
adolescent years, and it is often recognized as a gateway to
abuse of other illicit substances. Seventy percent of one group
of substance abusers who were in treatment indicated they
started with inhalants. Seventy percent said they would go back
to inhalants if alcohol was not available. Many treatment
facilities employees use gas tank locks for their automobiles,
because so many people in treatment go out looking for a high
and go to their gas tanks.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER explained that because the chemicals and
inhalants enter the lungs in such high concentrations, they have
a higher toxic profile than other types of drug abuse. It
actually takes four to six weeks to detoxify inhalant abusers
just so they can start treatment.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said she hopes awareness of the signs of
use become widely known. Some of the common signs include paint
or stains on the body, clothing, rags, or bags; missing
abuseable substances from the home; spots or sores around the
mouth; red or runny eyes or nose; a chemical breath or odor, and
a dazed, drunk, or dizzy appearance. Other signs which may
accompany abuse are nausea, loss of appetite, anxiety,
excitability, irritability, relentlessness, unexplained
moodiness, slurred or disoriented speech, and outbursts or
anger.
Number 1530
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked what a common profile of an inhalant
abuser would be.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER replied that there are no typical
profiles for inhalant abusers. She said sniffers and huffers
are represented by both sexes; they are urban and rural; and
they come from all socioeconomic groups throughout the country
and Alaska. She told the committee inhalant abusers range in
age from elementary and middle-school age children to adults.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO agreed that adults use inhalants - smoking,
for instance. He noted that perfumes are also a form of
inhalant.
Number 1566
CHAIR WILSON said as a nurse, she has worked in the emergency
room when an individual has come in who has been involved in a
chemical spill. She said in a case when victims have inhaled
fumes, they may appear fine initially, hospital staff watch the
victims closely because the damage to the lungs may appear later
when they may start experiencing breathing problems. Chair
Wilson asked if inhalant abusers experience the same type of
symptoms.
Number 1599
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said she believes with accidental
inhalants there may be a delay before the effects would appear;
however, with huffing the response is much quicker. There is an
instant high, which is the reason why some people prefer
inhalants to contraband drugs. The inhalant goes through the
lungs, and is an instant high. In talking with village public
safety officers [VPSO], [she has found] they are very concerned
about inhalant abuse. One reason is that it is not illegal and
it is not even a violation of state law to huff. Another reason
is that inhalants dull the pain receptors. She told the
committee VPSOs are only equipped with a billy club, and even if
they are only trying to subdue the victim or inhalant abuser,
such a person is almost unstoppable because his/her pain
receptors are not working.
Number 1672
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER told the committee that with this limited
amount of knowledge, most Alaskans do not know enough about
inhalants and the seriousness of its abuse. She said her
primary concern is for the young people who abuse inhalants, not
knowing there can be irreversible brain damage, bone marrow
damage, and lung damage. She said young children are setting
themselves up to have developmentally disabled children, and the
cost to the state is really quite exorbitant when people become
retarded from the abuse. The symptoms are a lot like Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome [FAS]. One of the major differences that she
has heard from Jim Henkelman [Statewide Outreach Coordinator,
Tundra Swan Treatment Program, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health
Corporation] is that FAS children do not have a long-term memory
and do have a lot of childhood memories. Most people who are
inhalant abusers say that they lost their memory after they
started huffing. They have the long-term memory; they just do
not have the short-term memory. Representative Kapsner told the
committee Jim Henkelman, who is the state's expert on inhalant
abuse, would like to give the committee a presentation on this
subject. Representative Kapsner said she would like to see this
resolution pass and hopes the governor proclaims March 16
through the 22 as Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week.
Number 1741
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER noted that some statistics that were
provided to the committee in a brochure say that children five
years and under account for the majority - 53 percent - of the
exposures to poison. The graph of substances involved like
cleaning supplies in household exposures shows 125 cases in
people over 20 years old. Representative Kapsner said this does
not appear to be accidental poisoning. It looks more as though
huffing was involved.
Number 1754
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA commented that Representative Kapsner's
statement about the pain receptors made her realize what might
have happened with a foster daughter. She told the committee as
a teen, her foster daughter was exchanging a jar of gasoline and
huffing with a cousin who was burned badly when the cousin took
a drag on a cigarette, it fell into the jar, and it flamed up,
melting one side of her face. Representative Cissna said she
believes impairment of the girl's pain receptors contributed to
this tragic event. In a normal situation an individual would
drop the jar, but if a person were huffing he/she would have
lost that instant reaction. She asked if there is any record of
these kinds of accidents, and if so, how many there are.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said Jim Henkelman might know the answer.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said inhalant abuse and the effects on
kids is much more extraordinary than alcohol. It is far worse
than can be imagined.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER agreed and said it is a silent epidemic
and is claiming the lives of a lot of people nationwide.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO said that the more volatile a substance is,
the more valuable it is to someone that is an inhalant abuser.
If the substance is volatile then it becomes a gas very easily,
and is flammable and very hazardous. Representative Gatto
pointed out that once it gets into the lungs it is transported
quickly to an individual's heart and then to the brain. It
takes only seconds to have an impact on individual's brain -
anesthetizing it. He said inhaling alcohol is also pretty
instantaneous, not ethyl alcohol that is normally ingested, but
wood alcohol. Representative Gatto said it is an enormously
horrible thing to do to anything that is alive. He expressed
concern for a method of changing abusers' behaviors, and said he
believes this resolution is a start.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER noted that there is a zero fiscal note on
the resolution. She shared one more point with the committee,
that inhalants are the fourth most abused substances [following
alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana] among high school students.
Number 1952
ZOANN MURPHY, Health and Social Services Planner, Community
Health and Emergency Medical Services Section, Division of
Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services,
testified in support of HCR 8. She told the committee her
duties include injury prevention and she would like to speak
about the poison prevention portion of the resolution. Ms.
Murphy [holding up a highlighter pen] told the committee this
would be very valuable to a teen who wanted to huff. All the
other substances the committee spoke about are dangerous, but so
is a highlighter and it can be picked up for $.99. She told the
committee she puts together the annual report for poison control
for the State of Alaska. Poisoning is the tenth leading cause
of injury death and the eighth leading cause of non-fatal
hospitalized injuries to Alaskan children ages 0-19 from 1994
through 1998 [the most current statistics available]. Ms.
Murphy told the committee the national fatal poisoning rate for
the years 1994 through 1999 is 6.5 for 100,000. Alaska has a
very small population with a very large problem. She urged the
committee to pass HCR 8. Ms. Murphy provided the committee with
background information on the injury surveillance and prevention
program.
Number 2092
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked about the map on Alaska for the rate
per 100,000 [population] by region from 1994 through 1999 and
asked if the rate was a total for all five years or an average
yearly rate.
MS. MURPHY responded that it is for the entire time period from
1994 through 1999.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON responded that if these rates are for a
five-year period and if the committee wanted to look at it per
year, then, for example, the total for the "Interior (Rural)" -
which is 51.31, divided by 5, gives a rate of 10 per year.
MS. MURPHY said she does have a chart that shows approximately
nine children under the age of four are injured severely enough
to be hospitalized [statistics from trauma registry data]. She
told the committee the statistics are dated and the department
is still working on the 2000 and 2001 data.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if the comparison with the United
States that she provided was based on an annual rate.
MS. MURPHY replied that it was also a five-year rate.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA asked if there is any substantial research
done on this subject. She asked where the department gets most
of the information on kinds of incidents and prevention efforts.
Number 2148
MS. MURPHY replied that the information comes from a variety of
sources. The report provided to the committee was put together
by the Oregon Poison Center [an organization the state is
collaborating with]. She told the committee her rate
information came from the Alaska Trauma Registry which is a
registry that lists all hospitalized patients and fatality
information, which is provided by the Alaska Bureau of Vital
Statistics.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA asked if there is any effort in Alaska to
look for funding sources to do extensive research on this
subject. She said when Alaska finds it is the leader in the
nation in some indicator, it is important to find solutions and
export that knowledge.
MS. MURPHY responded that the department is in the process of
doing that under a federal HRSA [Health Resources and Services
Administration] grant. In fact, this is how the poison center
collaboration effort came about. She said currently education
has focused on getting the word out on the 1-800 number, but
expressed hope that the next round of federal grant funding will
allow the department to expand that into more community
outreach. Ms. Murphy said she is currently attending as many
health fairs as possible to get the word out.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said she believes the numbers are very
low. She asked how the department is characterizing fatal and
nonfatal poisonings in Alaska. She told Ms. Murphy that it
seems artificially low to find only 20 people in her region
having a fatal or non-fatal poisoning during a five-year period.
Number 2243
MS. MURPHY replied the number is a rate per 100,000, not a
number of individuals.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said the figure still seems very low.
MS. MURPHY said the numbers vary from year to year.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER asked if poisonings would including
people who die of inhalant abuse.
MS. MURPHY replied that it would include inhalant deaths, but
most of the poisonings that are reported to the poisoning center
do not include inhalants, because generally by the time the
victim has gotten to the hospital the condition is classified as
a poisoning. She said that could change, but it would require
going back over the numbers.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said a number of years ago, five or six
people died in one of the villages because the person who was
running the water treatment facility put too much fluoride in
the water. Would that be classified as a poisoning?
MS. MURPHY replied that it would be classified as a poisoning.
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he does not think the statistics
relate to the problem the Kenai Peninsula is experiencing. This
rate of 28.43 per 100,000 people for five years would reflect
less than one person per year. He said if it was just his
district it might be plausible; however, there are three
districts on the Kenai Peninsula. Representative Seaton said he
does not believe these statistics reflect the issue of
recreational huffing. He said he believes Ms. Murphy's report
is dealing with a different problem.
Number 2358
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA moved to report HCR 8 out of committee
with individual recommendations and a zero fiscal note. There
being no objection, HCR 8 was reported from the House Health,
Education and Social Services Committee.
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Education and Early Development
TAPE 03-21, SIDE B
Number 2315
CHAIR WILSON announced that the committee would return to
confirmation hearings for appointees to the Board of Education
and Early Development.
SYLVIA REYNOLDS, Appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, gave the committee a brief history of her 24 years
of service in public education, 18 of those in Alaska. She told
the committee she has served in numerous positions throughout
the state including schools in Nome, Juneau, and Soldotna. She
said the experience she has provides her with a background of
working with students from early education through postsecondary
education. Ms. Reynolds highlighted her background and
experience in teaching and administration.
Number 2275
REPRESENTATIVE WOLF asked if her service on the board would
prevent her from continuing her work at K-Beach Elementary
School.
MS. REYNOLDS told the committee she has taken that into
consideration and believes that with the help of a young woman
who is doing her administrative internship; she will have
someone to cover for her while she attends meetings.
REPRESENTATIVE WOLF told the committee that Ms. Reynolds has
done an excellent job as principal and that he believes she
would be an excellent choice.
Number 2229
CHAIR WILSON asked if she sees a difference in education in
Alaska as opposed to other states she has worked in.
MS. REYNOLDS responded that is a difficult question. She
believes the great challenge facing Alaska will be meeting the
NCLB requirements. She said while everyone supports that
concept, there are many paths to achieve this goal. She pointed
out that some students need to leave school in April to go
whaling, and she sees a benefit to bringing that activity into
the curriculum. That approach is very different compared with
how school curriculum is administered in Anchorage or the Kenai
Peninsula.
CHAIR WILSON shared her experience with a school system where
classes started three weeks early so many of the students could
go moose hunting and build a cabin. She said that activity was
done in the first three weeks of school.
MS. REYNOLDS agreed that anytime there is hands-on learning
outside the institution, it will be beneficial.
Number 2139
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked why she changed from being a
principal at Soldotna High School to K-Beach Elementary School.
MS. REYNOLDS said she believes that after five years in a
leadership role a principal needs to evaluate if the school has
moved ahead. She said after seven years she believed it was
time to give someone else a chance to come in and give the
school other gifts that she may not have had. She told the
committee both high school and elementary schools are equally
challenging.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked what the "710" budget means.
MS. REYNOLDS responded that the 710 budget is the activities
budget. She said the funds could roll over. Ms. Reynolds said
with budgets declining, these funds made it possible for her to
do things for Soldotna High School that she would otherwise not
be able to do.
Number 2048
REPRESENTATIVE WOLF made a motion to advance the confirmation of
Sylvia Reynolds, appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, to the joint session for consideration. There
being no objection, the confirmation of Sylvia Reynolds was
advanced.
Number 2024
REX ROCK, Appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, gave the committee a brief history of his service
in public education. He told the committee he graduated from
high school in Point Hope and the University of Alaska
Fairbanks. He said he has been serving on the Point Hope
Advisory Council for the past 12 to 15 years and has been the
basketball coach at the Point Hope High School. Mr. Rock said
he has two children who are currently attending school at the
University of Alaska. He said he loves to work for kids and
that is his main reason for wanting to serve.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked how Point Hope is doing in
basketball. He noted that Mr. Rock was honored by being named
State Coach of the Year.
MR. ROCK replied that their current record this year is 15 and
4.
Number 1963
REPRESENTATIVE WOLF made a motion to advance the confirmation of
Rex Rock, appointee to the Board of Education and Early
Development, to the joint session for consideration. There
being no objection, the confirmation of Rex Rock was advanced.
ADJOURNMENT
Number 1955
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Health, Education and Social Services Standing Committee meeting
was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
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