Opportunities for education and enrichment abound in Juneau for adults and youth alike. The public school system in Juneau consistently ranks higher than the State average on benchmark and high school qualifying exam scores, and the University of Alaska Southeast campus is a short 12 miles from downtown Juneau, featuring both academic and vocational classes.
Public Schools
There are seven elementary schools (K – 5), 2 middle schools (grades 6-8) and two high schools (grades 9-12) in the Juneau School District.
Elementary schools in the Juneau area range in size from 60 students at the Juneau Community Charter School to approximately 460 students at Harborview Elementary School. In addition to traditional single-grade classes, several schools offer a multi-age classroom option.
Floyd Dryden Middle School concentrates on traditional academic methods. Each grade has its own wing in the school, and for athletics, they have an outdoor running track.
Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School integrates children into learning communities called “houses,” and their academics are project-based. Two of the houses are multi-grade, and two houses blend only 7th and 8th, keeping 6th grade students together.
The Home Bridge program is available for home schoolers. JCS makes all of the resources of the school district available – while students attend classes at home.
The Juneau-Douglas High School and Thunder Mountain High School feature a broad range of classes, including Advanced Placement classes for students planning to attend college and life skills classes for students at all levels of ability. Activities range from Academic Decathlon to Wrestling!
Other K-12 Educational Programs
Many families in Juneau choose to educate their children at home through Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA), Raven Correspondence School and other home school programs, and Juneau has preschool, elementary, and adolescent Montessori programs.
Postsecondary Education
The University of Alaska Southeast campus at Juneau offers degrees in over thirty fields and concentrations. Two of the special programs available in the Juneau area include the Juneau Icefield Research Program and the Breadloaf School of English.
Enrichment Opportunities
Juneau Community Schools offers classes in everything from art to swimming to fly tying! The Community Schools philosophy is that “learning begins at birth and continues throughout life.” Learn a new skill, or teach one to others!
