Hello,
Welcome to the ATP Forum. I will try to break this down into individual questions and responses. Most of what I contribute will assume you are interested in rural positions (off the road system), and may NOT apply to the larger districts connected by concrete and ferry: Anchorage, Mat Su, Kenai, Fairbanks and Juneau. Those districts have totally different expectations about their HR process and you need to see their individual Applitrack job posting sites for details on what the timing and requirements might be.
Now, if I'm correct (and please correct me if I'm not) I should finish my online application, then start applying and sending off resumes to places I'm interested in and then sort of wait until hiring season starts. Is that about right? Or am I missing something?You can start applying now for rural positions, and don't have to wait until you have everything in place. Districts want to know you are very likely "certifiable" in your content areas to take you seriously, but it sounds like you are ahead of the average curve with a yellow card the first week of 2017.

Most districts have an "idea" what they will need next year in January, but may not have specific openings in most cases until a 30 to 60 days later. That does not mean they can't start interviewing, and some do. It also is a good time for you to be establishing contacts with the districts you are most interested in, while also keeping an open mind as actual jobs begin to get posted.
My wife and I always recommend that candidates research districts and locations, send a cover letter email with a resume to the districts that seem most attractive, and then follow up with them regularly to show continued interest in a polite but insistent fashion. This effort should be by all available means: email, phone contacts with HR staff or recruiters, social media accounts if you have a connection with someone at a district. When specific openings are posted that you are interested in, then yes, you should also follow up individually for each of those, too. Positions are starting to post now for next year and the pace will only increase as districts final contracts for tenured staff, then non-tenured staff and finalize budgets. All of these processes are on slightly different schedules for each district.
The ATP Job Fairs are very nice to access if they are in your area, as they bring numerous districts together with hiring in mind, and positions in hand...but even if you plan to attend one, don't wait to pursue jobs prior to those events. The job in the hand is better than the one which might not be available when the job fair comes around.
Also as far as endorsements I have a science endorsement as well as an elementary endorsement, is one more likely to get me a job than another? I'm unfamiliar with alaskas needs.Alaska's needs vary by district, but certainly there are jobs both in Elementary and Science that are filled each year between now and summer. If you certifications are grade level specific, that is going to somewhat drive your appeal. States are using increasing narrow grade bands or ranges in certification, and they vary widely by state and teacher preparation program. What used to be a "K-8" or "K-6" certificate in Elementary Education might now be only be good for K-2 / 2-4 / 1-3 / 4-6 and so on...depending on which state and which university the teacher went to. This poses a significant challenge to rural schools because the grade levels their jobs are in are rarely in those same bands, and may change year to year at the same school. Districts (and the state) allow teachers to work out of their certified range, but TRY to keep it as close as possible. The wider the RANGE of grades you can convince a district you are qualified to teach, the more marketable you are likely to be.
If the Science is only for Elementary, in Alaska that could make you very marketable as a Middle School Generalist (6-8), or Upper Elementary (4-6) teacher with content area focus in science. Often, districts like to put teachers in a small school who have complementary subject areas and grade levels. Most districts consider anything in K-8 as "Elementary", and love to find subject area specialists that have both certifications. If not, and the Science is "Secondary" education it is usually considered 7-12 (I know...there is overlap!), rural districts are going to be more likely to view you as a "Science" content area teacher. There is a relative shortage of Science certified teachers as compared to Elementary certified teachers. You may also be attractive as a "Multigrade" teacher in a small school teaching multiple subject areas and grade levels.
I guess second question is in regards to my wife who will be moving with me, is it possible/likely my wife would be able to get a job as a teachers aid or something like this at a school? And what other possibilities for income are there in these small places for the wife of a teacher? Also my wife would like to attend nursing school or something like that so hopefully I can get a position somewhere near a community college like bethel or something. Is this likely?Remember that districts are interviewing YOU, and will not be able to guarantee your wife a position. You should, however, let them know you are coming with a significant other, and also give them an indication that she may need or want employment. You can also ask them what opportunities exist in Village X, but I would wait until the conversation is about a specific location, not in general.
You don't mention what her background is, but if she has a college degree, districts may view her as a good substitute teacher for the community. However, that may vary by district and location. I know in most of the larger Bush communities that reliable, flexible individuals with a degree in almost any field are valued and can find work. It may not be right away, and the district may or may not be able to give hints of what is likely to be available - see my first comment about their only responsibility being your role, and the only "commitment" you should count on is your own job offer as a certified teacher. They may mean well, but anything they tell you about spouse employment is going to be an educated guess, not a promise.
As far as Nursing school goes, you are in luck. Nursing shortages in Alaska have prompted the university system to develop excellent distance education programs for certification in rural areas. Much of the instruction is by distance learning, including two-way video conferencing, and clinical experiences can frequently be done in regional "hub" communities with clinics and hospitals. The regional health organizations recruit actively for nurses, and there are often attractive benefit packages once someone reaches RN status.
University of Alaska Distance Learning Programshttps://distance.alaska.edu/programs/University of Alaska - Distance Nursing Program Linkhttps://catalog.uaa.alaska.edu/undergra ... urseoptionOne last question, how much of a demand is there really for teachers in Alaska??? I see they do several job fairs across the country which I've never really seen happen before other than nearby states at local job fairs (for example, in New Mexico we would often see schools from Texas and Arizona). I mean you don't see say...Florida public schools doing job fairs specifically for them across the country.There is a significant shortage of teachers in rural Alaska. You are incorrect about not seeing other places recruit "on the road". I am a recruiter, and I see Florida public school recruiters at MANY teacher job fairs in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York to name a few. I've seen school district recruiting booths from a variety of areas at national conferences for Special Ed teachers in San Diego, Nashville, Seattle and other locations. Districts around the country with shortages, including many from Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, South Carolina and other locations recruit "year round" now. Honest.
Hope this helps,
John