End of an Era: Old BIA School in Copper Center Set for Demolition

ChemTrack Alaska contractors remove hazardous waste from the old BIA School site in Copper Center. Photo by Sarah Daszkiewicz.

By Lakota McRoberts

After standing vacant for more than four decades, the long-abandoned pink Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school in Copper Center is finally being demolished—a bittersweet milestone for many in the community who once called it their second home. The school was not a boarding school; it allowed children to pursue education while living in their own homes. 

Built in the 1950s, the BIA school served generations of youth from the Copper River region until it was closed in the late 1970s or early 1980s. For many former students, the building holds powerful memories of childhood, learning, cultural connection, and community.

But over time, the structure fell into disrepair, filled with hazardous materials including asbestos, lead-based paint, and PCBs. Years of stalled cleanup efforts and jurisdictional hurdles kept the building standing—until now.

Thanks to renewed staffing within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Targeted Brownfields Assessment Program, the site was reassessed in 2023. Unlike the 2010 report that cited possible ground contamination, the updated findings confirmed that the toxins were confined to the building. This cleared the way for demolition. 

Demolition is being carried out under the EPA’s Tribal Response Program grant, administered by the Copper River Native Association (CRNA). Environmental Coordinator Sarah Daszkiewicz is overseeing the project in partnership with ChemTrack Alaska Inc., the contractor selected for the demolition. Demolition began the week of July 21, 2025, and is expected to be complete by early August.

“No part of the building will be preserved due to the severity of the contamination,” said Daszkiewicz. “But this is about more than demolition. It’s about bringing closure and opening the door to healing and future use.”

A public outreach meeting was held on June 16 at Kluti-Kaah Hall, offering space for community members—especially elders and former students—to share memories and reflect. Similar stories were collected in 2023 during the initial site assessment phase.

In an interview with CRR, two elders who attended the school, Alice Hand and Anna Bell-Hand, offered heartfelt reflections about their time there between 1966 and 1970.

 “We were really close as classmates,” said Alice Hand. “Our teacher got really close to us too. I just feel like it’s kind of sad we never had any kind of reunion. It was such a big part of this community’s history, and now it’s going away.”

“We learned so much there,” added Anna Bell-Hand. “Sometimes an elder would come in to teach our Native language. We had two classrooms—lower and upper grades—and just two teachers. But we had so many activities. It was more than just a school.”

Some expressed a desire for a memorial to be placed on-site, or for the legacy of the school to be honored with signage or storytelling. While no final decision has been made, CRNA is open to redevelopment ideas, and the land will initially be restored to a natural green space.

Daszkiewicz emphasized the teamwork that made the demolition possible: “It wasn’t one person or one organization. It took CRNA, the Native Village of Kluti-Kaah, the EPA, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Department of Natural Resources. Everyone played a role.”

Although she did not attend the school herself, Daszkiewicz called the project a personal milestone. “I didn’t know much about the site until I stepped into this role. But I’m proud to help move the project forward for the people who do remember, and who have been waiting for this for so long.”

Historical and current photographs are being documented throughout the demolition process, and another community meeting will be held once the site is cleared.

For more information, contact Sarah Daszkiewicz at sdaszkiewicz@crnative.org

Disclosure- Lakota McRoberts is a Copper River Native Association Employee in the Tribal Community Services Department.