Anchorage can be reached from "Outside" by air, car or ferry. From Anchorage, you can reach Dillingham only by air. Airlines serving Dillingham are Peninsula Air, Alaska Air, and Frontier Air. Airlines vary in the amount of allowable luggage. Normally you are allowed two pieces of baggage (50 lbs. or less) and one carry-on which must fit under your seat. Baggage allowance may be less on the smaller airlines. Check with your airline prior to departure. Charges for excess baggage can be high.
Travel from Dillingham to the villages, is by local air taxi. Arrangements for travel to sites can be made from Dillingham.
Local Airline Taxis:
District housing has basic furnishings. You will need to provide bedding, linens, dishes, utensils, and desired small appliances. Please contact your Principal for specific needs.
Housing for Mobile Teachers provides basic furnishings in addition to standard home appliances including television sets.
All villages receive television broadcasts--most limited to Alaska satellite programming. If you have a small set that can be mailed, it might be a good idea to do so. It is not wise to ship a large set or buy a new one until you have checked out the local situation. Stores in Anchorage usually have sales on sets in early Fall.
Be sure to pack a radio as the region is served by KDLG, a public broadcasting station. Also, some residents enjoy multi-band receivers which, when equipped with good antennas, make it possible to receive distant AM stations and international short wave broadcasts. District-owned housing units have plumbing and conventional electrical service. Limited freezer space and washers and dryers are available.
Be prepared to spend half again as much for food as you would in Seattle. A few items are obtainable at stores in Koliganek, Manokotak, New Stuyahok and Togiak. All the villages are "dry" with no alcoholic beverages sold, and in some communities the importation of alcohol is prohibited. The extent of "dry" varies from village to village, year to year.
In Dillingham the major sources of groceries are N&N Market and Alaska Commercial Company (A.C.). They will box and ship your groceries to your site.
Some Anchorage suppliers include:
for meat: Mr. Prime Beef and Waynes Meat Market
for groceries: Prairie Market (will box and ship to you for an additional charge)
Sams Club and Cosco, both membership grocers have good prices, but you must shop in person, and box and mail your groceries. Postage from Anchorage is affordable. If you have frozen items shipped, it will need to be sent air freight, and it is best to be there when it arrives as it is often left on the runways.
Many people pack coolers with frozen food and
ship them as luggage. Remember, the airlines only allow baggage weighing
up to 70 lbs. Anything in excess of 70 lbs. will constitute extra charges.
If you are planning to mail things from Anchorage,
the airport post office is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. You
can ship a 70 lb. box from Anchorage for about $5.00.
We recommend you plan to spend a couple days in Anchorage to shop for food items and mail or freight them to the village. Hotel rates are extremely expensive during the summer months so it is also recommended that you stay at a Bed & Breakfast. Your travel agent should be able to provide you with recommendations.
You can begin mailing your personal items to the school you are assigned. There is a person at each school assigned to pick up boxes and deliver them to the school. You will want to address your boxes as follows:
Sample
"Your Name"
c/o "School Name"
General Delivery
Village Name, AK Zip Code
You may want to send them insured in case of damage or loss. The U.S. Postal Service accepts packages weighing up to 70 lbs. As a general rule, the heavier the box the cheaper the postage. For example, a box weighing 5 lbs. will cost as much or more than a box weighing 10 lbs. Its important to tape and label your boxes clearly.
Dress tends to be more casual than in school districts Outside, but it also varies from village to village. Temperatures are not as extreme as in other parts of the state or nation. You should expect rain, and mud and snow. Most find knee high rubber boots (break-up boots) to be indispensable.
You will want a warm jacket, boots, hats, etc., but may wish to wait and order them when you can determine the type that will best suit your needs. Look for things that can be laundered as your closest dry cleaner is in Anchorage.
Amongst our staff there are artists, photographers,
musicians, hunters, fisherman, and card players to name a few. Others just
enjoy recreational eating. You may wish to bring with you:
There are additional fees for non-residents who wish to hunt large game. Check with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Game Division, in Dillingham (842-5925) for more information.
Pets are nice to have and difficult to part with, but if you do bring a dog it will be necessary to keep it confined or tied. A stray or loose dog may be shot if it becomes a nuisance in the community.
To ship a dog or cat you will need a container - available from the airlines. Also, you will need valid rabies and parvo certificates for them. Don't overlook distemper shots. There is no veterinarian in the Bristol Bay area, so injured or sick animals must be air freighted to Anchorage for medical attention. Very expensive! A vet does visit Dillingham and a few of the villages on occasion.
The Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation operates a small hospital at Kanakanak, which is adjacent to Dillingham. Inpatient, Outpatient, optical and dental care are available. In addition, one private physician and one private dentist practice in Dillingham.
The Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation has assumed a major role in providing health care in the region. Local clinic facilities staffed by village health aides have been established in all villages.
We strongly recommend that necessary dental work be done prior to your move. Having a toothache in a village can be a miserable experience, especially if the weather is bad and no planes are able to fly.
There is no drug store in the region. If you need special medications or prescription drugs which you cannot keep an extended supply, have your physician communicate with the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation, Dillingham, Alaska 99576. The hospital does have a pharmacy.
The postal service has daily mail delivery to
the villages. All villages have telephones. Zip codes, and phone numbers
for each school site are:
| Aleknagik | 842-5681 | 99555 |
| Clarks Point | 236-1218 | 99569 |
| Ekwok | 464-3344 | 99580 |
| Koliganek | 596-3444 | 99576 |
| Manokotak | 289-2054 | 99628 |
| New Stuyahok | 693-3144 | 99636 |
| Portage Creek | 842-2673 | 99576 |
| Togiak | 493-5829 | 99678 |
| Twin Hills | 525-4215 | 99576 |