Board of Education Information

Nome Public Schools Board of Education Meeting Information

The Nome Public Schools Board of Education meets at the following times: Regular meetings take place on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Nome Elementary School Library.

* Work Sessions take place on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Nome Elementary School Library.

**unless otherwise scheduled (for schedule changes contact the District Office at 443-2231)

Board President

Mrs. Sandy Martinson

Sandy Martinson has extensive experience within the justice system and with reentry. She has served the State of Alaska for the past 19 years; for twelve years as a Probation / Parole Officer at Fairbanks Probation and Nome Probation and for seven years as the Superintendent at Anvil Mountain Correction Center. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and her Master’s degree in Administration of Justice from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Sandy is an active community leader and is dedicated to the success of her community. She has served as the treasurer and currently the president of the Nome Public School Board, and is a member of the Seaside Advisory Board, Nome Reentry Coalition Taskforce, Sex Offender Treatment Provider Committee, Housing Coalition, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Public Safety Coalition, and is a Girl Scout Leader.

She is a dependable and active volunteer with her children’s education and extracurricular activities.  Starting when they were in preschool, she began serving on the Nome Preschool Board.  As they have grown, she maintained an active and reliable presence in their sports, fundraising, events, classroom, lunchroom and entrepreneur efforts (Lemonade Day, Girl Scout cookie sales, etc.).

Her vision for the Nome Public School system in the next ten years is to be a high-achieving district by focusing on student learning, modernizing, and staff development.

Board Vice President/Clerk

Dr. Barb Amarok

Barb (QasuGlana) Amarok is the daughter of IlliaaGlak and granddaughter of Amaguaq and Maiyak. She is the Director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Northwest Campus in Nome, and serves as the Vice President of the Nome Board of Education, as a Director with the Association of Alaska School Boards, and as the Chair of the Sitnasuak Native Corporation Board of Directors. Barb holds a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education, and earned a Masters degree in Educational Leadership through the University of Alaska Anchorage and a doctoral degree in Indigenous Education through UAF.

Board Member

Mrs. Nancy Mendenhall

Nancy Mendenhall has worked in various levels of public education in several parts of Alaska, teaching, administration, and board work since 1961. She has a BA and MA In English. She has lived in Nome since 1973, is married to Perry Mendenhall, and almost all of her children and grandchildren have attended school in Nome. She retired from UAF Northwest Campus after nine years as the Campus Director in 1996. She is presently in a third term as a Nome School District Board member. She is a member of the Nome Arts Council, Writers 49, ACLU, Alaska Marine Conservation Council and other cultural and environmental groups.

Board Member

Ms. Darlene Trigg

Darlene Paqpaluk Trigg (Iñupiaq) is originally from Nome, Alaska and is the daughter of Jerome and Barbara Trigg. She is the wife of Keith Morrison, mother of 3 children: Gwendalyn, Owen and Paris, and grandmother to Kangisaq. Darlene is passionate about her culture and land. She hopes to pass this on to her children and granddaughter.

Darlene currently works for Kawerak, Inc. as their Vice President of Human Resources. Darlene has previously worked for NHSC in different capacities and has over 15 years of experience in the tribal health system.

Darlene has also worked for First Alaskans Institute as their Social Justice Manager and was responsible for the project management of the Advancing Native Dialogues on Racial Equity (ANDORE) project through the Alaska Native Policy Center and the creation of a collective impact project for Racial Equity in Alaska. This initiative builds on the Alaska Native Dialogues on Racial Equity work that FAI has been engaged in since 2010.

Board Member

Bob Metcalf

Bob moved to Nome in 1976 after graduating from Washington & Lee University. His first paying job was as a school bus driver for Morgan Enterprises. Through the years, he worked for Munz Northern Airlines, Ryan Air, NSHC, Alaska Airlines, and eventually the Northwest Campus where he retired after 28 years working in enrollment, student services, and administration, He learned much and is thankful for the opportunity to work with many talented, committed, and hard-working people. He is married to Vera and is honored to be part of her family, and their son, Mattox, attended NPS K-12 and graduated from NBHS in 1998.