Tongass School of Arts and Sciences Charter School

Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District

tsas.kgbsd.org/

Charter School 140 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 6th

School Overview

The Tongass School of Arts and Sciences (TSAS) is a public charter school located in Ketchikan, Alaska, serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Founded on the principle of integrating rigorous academic standards with the creative arts and scientific inquiry, the school utilizes a "project-based learning" approach. This model encourages students to move beyond traditional textbooks, engaging them in hands-on, interdisciplinary units that connect classroom instruction to the real world and the unique natural environment of Southeast Alaska.

As a charter school, TSAS operates with a high degree of autonomy, fostering a tight-knit, community-oriented atmosphere where family involvement is highly encouraged. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and the development of the "whole child." By blending expressive arts with core academic disciplines, the school aims to cultivate curious, creative, and socially responsible learners who are well-prepared for the challenges of high school and beyond.

140

Total Students

9.5

Full-Time Teachers

14.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Tongass School of Arts and Sciences Charter School
Demographic	Student Count
White	76
Hispanic	3
Black	2
Asian	7
Two or More	7
American Indian	45

White
76 (54.3%)
American Indian
45 (32.1%)
Asian
7 (5.0%)
Two or More
7 (5.0%)
Hispanic
3 (2.1%)
Black
2 (1.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District
Phone:	(907)225-5720
Website:	http://tsas.kgbsd.org/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 6th
Total Students:	140
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	9.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.7
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 1

Kindergarten 23

Grade 1 20

Grade 2 23

Grade 3 17

Grade 4 14

Grade 5 29

Grade 6 13