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Know Before You Go

GILA RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Pre-Arrival Items Needed

REMINDER ABOUT TRAVEL ID REQUIREMENTS: If your student has turned 18 over the summer, please remember the new TSA rule about IDs—your student needs a current tribal ID or a Real ID issued by the State of Alaska.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: 
Please make color copies of the following documents and forward them as soon as possible. You may also take pics with your phone and use our upload form by clicking here. It is vital that we have the following information on file for your student: 

• Birth Certificate 
• State ID 
• Tribal/BIA Enrollment Card 
• Denali Kid Care Card and/or medical insurance card of both guardians (if applicable) 
• Updated Immunization Records 

Please note: If you are a returning GILA student, it is not necessary to send the above docs again. We will follow up with families individually if anything isn’t on file from previous years.

ACTIVITIES FEE:  
There is a $150 activities fee per semester, per family which is due at the start of the semester. You can pay the activities fee with a debit/credit card through our secure, online payment portal here. You may also mail payment via check/money order to the following address: PO Box 359, Galena AK 99741. 

Packing List

Ptarmigan Hall rooms are equipped with the basic furnishings to live comfortably and to study productively. Each student will be designated his or her own twin bed, desk, chair, dresser, nightstand and lamp. Lounges on each floor provide common areas to watch TV and movies. There is also a game room on the first floor to play pool, watch movies and socialize with friends. However, there are other amenities that you will need to bring with you, including: 

Suggested GILA Packing List

Travel Info

Charter flights are arranged from each regional hub across Alaska. Personalized itineraries (including any necessary connecting flights if applicable) will be provided at approximately 1-2 weeks prior to departure for each student.   Please carefully review our travel policies for more detail on how travel arrangements work to and from Galena, as well as your responsibilities as Parent/Guardian . 

Luggage allowance is currently 40 pounds per student. Please pack and plan accordingly. We recommend using soft-sided, squishable duffles as opposed to huge hard-sided suitcases or giant plastic totes. (Some of our flights are 9-seaters and we want to avoid running into space issues on a full flight.)

If you need to mail items in advance or after your student’s arrival into Galena, you may send any packages to the following address: 

Attn: Student Name 
c/o Galena Interior Learning Academy
P.O. Box 359
Galena, AK 99741

Families may also wish to order online and send to your student directly (Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.) as many stores now offer free shipping—even to Galena (whoop whoop!)

GILA Travel Policies 

Helpful Tips

From how to socialize with your fellow community members to where you can find daily activity schedules, we’ve compiled a list of things every GILA resident should know. 

Tips for Success at GILA

Three students working at a desk.

Building a Positive Environment with “3 Before Me”

Multiple students in a classroom working at desks.

Making Math Class “a Playground”

Students sitting at desks, working on laptops.
Vehicle attached to a flatbed.

The welding students fabricated a flatbed!

Multiple students gathered around a large piece of machinery.
Student reading poetry to other students in an auditorium.

Students have been writing and reading their own poetry to practice public speaking skills!

Student standing in front of white board in classroom
Two students writing on a white board
Student posing for a photo, holding up white board.

Algebra Bridge: The Adventure Continues!

Two students working at a desk.

Students learning to thrive in their Study Skills Class

Student posing for a photo, holding up a paper.
Teacher instructing student on flight simulator.

GILA Aviation Student Using Flight Simulator.

Teacher standing at the front of class room, teaching a lesson.

We love Math Class!

Students learning outdoors.

Outdoor Learning in Geometry Class at GILA

Three students siting at a desk, working with robotics equipment.

Robotics are an excellent way to learn!

Students riding on a skateboard ramp.

GILA carpentry students test out the skateboards they made in class.

Students playing musical instruments.

GILA Music Students

Students working at desks in a classroom.
Three skateboards.

Carpentry class project—skateboards!

Drama award

Drama, Debate & Forensics State Championship Award!

Row of mannequins heads with curlers in their hair.

Cosmetology students are using both thermal & wet setting techniques

Hair stylist chairs facing a mirror.

Cosmetology students learn in our amazing on-site salon.

Skateboarder on a ramp.

Jamal hitting a rock to fakie (very proud!)

Students sitting on counter top in classroom. Several are holding balloons.

Physical Science class students experiment with balloon rockets

Multiple photos of Unalakleet XC Skiing.

Unalakleet XC Skiing

Multiple students racing mousetrap racecars in auditorium.

GILA students testing out their mousetrap race cars

Student cutting large wooden board.

GILA Carpentry student cutting out new quarter pipe

Student looking through papers on countertop.

Math! Math! Math!

Student working at desk using science equipment.

GILA students exploring probabilities in science class

Two photos of students working in physics class.

Bridging the physical & virtual realms in Physics Class.

Students working in classroom

Bridging the physical & virtual realms in Physics Class.

Students playing musical instruments on stage.

New learning space!

Students playing musical instruments on stage.

GILA’s music program is a big hit every year!

Students in the library.

Library

GILA Commons.

Commons

%22You Belong Here%22 hallway art work.

Hallway artwork

Multiple Photos of students working in science class.