The English Language Learners' (ELL) Program serves all qualifying children at KCS. The teacher in charge for the district for elementary students is Penny Hamlin, who is located at Houghtaling Elementary School, 907-225-4128. The program's goal is to help ELL students learn and improve listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Currently, ELL students come from many different language backgrounds including Tagalog, Illokano, Senegalese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, and Cantonese. These students may have learned another language first, primarily speak another language at home, or be spoken to in another language by family.

The ELL tutor at Ketchikan Charter School and Tongass School is Jane Hanchett with help from tutor Amy Meaux in the afternoon.  We team with classroom teachers to determine the best way to meet the students' needs. This may include instructing them individually or in small groups for a session during their school day.