In a happy update to a story from a prior Static, students on Little Diomede have returned to school. In November, the administration building for the City of Diomede partially collapsed and fell against the school building.

Diomede is a city of fewer than 100 people located on Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait. The entire town is nestled on the western side of the island, right where the hillside meets the water. Since the land is so steep, buildings must be built on stilts in order to have a level foundation. It was these supports that gave way under the city offices and caused the building to fall against the school. Fortunately, no one was injured.

In response to the situation, the Bering Strait School District put students in Diomede on remote learning until further notice. Additionally, the teachers were moved from school housing on the island to school housing on the mainland.

In late January, Diomede’s school building was declared safe for students to return to class. School staff invited the community to share a spaghetti dinner at the school building to celebrate the school reopening.

Image at top: Diomede School hosts a spaghetti dinner to celebrate the opening of their school. Photo courtesy of Diomede School, used with permission.