Around the District
School board to meet
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. at 148 N. Binkley St. in Soldotna (unless otherwise noted.)
For more information, call 714-8888 or visit http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/school_board.aspx?id=13414. The agenda and packet items are posted on Wednesday afternoon prior to the date of the Board meeting.
Persons with disabilities who need accommodations to participate at School Board meetings should contact Sally Tachick at 907-714-8836, or e-mail stachick@kpbsd.k12.ak.us no later than three business days before the meeting date
* Jan 10;
* Feb 7;
* Feb 21;
* Mar 7;
* Apr 4;
* May 2 -- (at Seward High School;
* June 6; n Jne 7 -- (Board planning session).
The Workforce Development Center
The Workforce Development Center is offering free after school academies. High school students may attend any of the academies at any of the schools.
Academies at Skyview High School:
A PCA (personal care attendant) class is available for juniors and seniors only and will teach students how to physically care for people of all ages in a multitude of different situations. This class size is limited to 12 students. Once students complete this class they will get a certificate from the state. Textbooks will be provided, however they are available to purchase for $35 if a student chooses to keep their book. There is a mandatory meeting in the nursing lab at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13. During this meeting, class times will be set depending on student and instructor's schedule.
A construction academy will begin Jan. 3 and run thru March 9. The class will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 -- 6 p.m. Students will be constructing a gazebo. Students will learn basic construction skills.
Academies at Soldotna High School:
A Medical Terminology for Health Professions begins Jan. 11 and runs through May 5. Class days will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 -- 5 p.m. This class is available for juniors and seniors. Students must have had or are in anatomy with a grade B or better. This class will teach students the medical language. Students will earn high school and college credit for this class.
Academies at Kenai High School:
A welding academy will begin Jan. 10 and run through Feb. 28 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 -- 5:30 p.m., and occasional Saturdays. Students will learn the basics of welding: oxy-acetylene cutting, torch safety and set up, cutting torch (free hand), interpret welding symbols and much more.
Introduction to Criminal Justice runs Jan. 11 through March 29. Class days will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 -- 7 p.m. Students will learn all of the different careers in the criminal justice pathways: probation officer, parole officer, police officer, dispatcher, criminal justice technician and more.
If a student successfully completes any of the 60-hour academies they are eligible to receive a half practical art credit. Transportation may be provided if needed.
To sign up contact your counselor or call Debbie Pearson at 283-2145 or email her at dpearson@kpbsd.org.
These academies are possible thanks to funding from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic Development and the Alaska Youth First Program.
Connections Homeschool Program
First semester grade reports were due Friday, Dec. 17, 2010. Please make sure these reports are turned in ASAP to the advisors if not already done so.
Connections Homeschool will be participating in a local spelling bee on Jan. 27 and the State Spelling Bee in March. For those students grades 3-8 who are interested, contact Lennie Yoter at 714-8880 or at eyoter@kbpsd.k12.ak.us to receive the word study lists.
There will be an Introduction to Criminal Justice, Personal Care Assistant, and Medical Terminology Class offered to juniors and seniors beginning in January. Classes will be held at KCHS (dates and times TBA). Please contact your advisor if you would like to attend.
Connections Science Fair projects will be displayed Jan. 10 -- 21. Registration forms need to be turned in ASAP. For questions or more information, please call Mark Wackler 714-8880.
Connections will be hosting a program Hoop Shoots basketball free-throw competition. Participants must be enrolled full time in the Connections program and be between the ages of 7 and 13 on or before April 1, 2011. Winners will compete at regional, states and nationals competitions and could represent your state at the national competition held in the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Mass. Contact Riley or Reubin at the Soldotna Connections office for more information.
Cook Inlet Academy
All unpaid Jog-a-Thon, Bike-a-Thon, Work-a-Thon activity fees are due. Please visit the office to take care of any unpaid balances.
Get to know your new Student Council: President of the Student Body, Kelsie Leaf; Vice President of the Student Body, Kati Dutcher. Other council members: Cara Davidson, Tim Hills, Scott Habermann, Megan Bauder. Congratulations! We look forward to you leading our student body.
There will be no Sequel on Jan. 14.
There will be a parent meeting in the gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31.
Root Beer Float Tuesdays are back! High school basketball players will be selling root beer floats at lunchtime for $2.
Yearbooks for Sale! $35 for your hardcover yearbook. Order by stopping at the office, filling out an order form, and paying your $35 either with cash or a check made out to CIA today.
Open gym for all high school students every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
I.D.E.A. Homeschool program
I.D.E.A. Homeschool Program is located in the Red Diamond Center on K-Beach Road, for information call 260-7555.
January is a busy month for IDEA students:
Geography Bee -- Jan 11. For information contact Janice Habermann at the IDEA office 260-7555 or janice.habermann@ideafamilies.org.
Robotics teams are practicing for state competition and will be going to Anchorage to compete on Jan. 15.
Future Problem Solvers meet each Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and are currently working on state qualifying problem.
Math Club will continue to meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 12:30 p.m.
District Battle of Books Competitions are:
High school -- Jan. 24.
7th-8th grades -- Jan. 25.
5th-6th grades -- Jan. 26.
3rd-4th Grades -- Jan. 27.
Practice problems are available at the IDEA office. Contact (Omie) 260-7555.
First semester progress reports and 2nd quarter work samples are due Jan. 14.
For information on the IDEA program, enrollment or current activities (calendar) check the IDEA website at www.ideafamilies.org or at the IDEA office 260-7555.
K-Beach Elementary School
The PTA is beginning a "Lunch Bag" fundraiser. Students will have the opportunity to order customized lunch bags. Look for information coming home!
This year's D.A.R.E. program began Jan. 5. Our 5th-grade classes will be working on the program with Officer Urban of the Soldotna Police Department. Classes will be every Wednesday for 10 weeks.
Jan. 10 -- Bus evacuation drills at 2:25 p.m. Busses may run a few minutes late today.
Jan. 11 -- Safety Seal will be visiting grades K-2.
Mr. Daniels' class is getting ready to do some gold mining! We will be doing a short study of gold mining in Alaska. Students will stake a claim, mine for gold, do some trading and watch a video about mining during our study. Mr. Joe, our teacher intern, will take over the class next week. He is excited to get started with his 6-week internship, which is one of his final steps to becoming a certified teacher.
Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science
The second semester is off and running. The 2nd quarter report cards will be sent home with students today.
The APC will be meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 4 p.m. in the library. Parents are always welcome to attend these meetings.
All 5th-grade students will be taking part in the Analytical Writing Assessments Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Terra Nova testing for the 5th graders will begin on Jan. 31 and will end Feb. 7. Please make sure you have these days marked on your calendar. Attendance is very important during these days.
The first round of after school activities was a huge success. The second set of after school activities will start Jan. 20. Activities will start directly after school and will be over at 4:50 p.m. Prompt pick up is requested.
The Wednesday Writing Workshop begins this week and will be held from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. each Wednesday through February except for Feb. 2.
Jan. 20 is Family Fun Night at 6 p.m.
There is a PTA meeting Jan. 25 at 4 p.m.
Kenai Central High School
School is back in full swing, and we trust that everyone had a great break.
Due to the water damage that occurred in the gym over Christmas break, all C-Team basketball games will be played at the Kenai Recreation Center and the junior varsity and varsity games will be played at Kenai Middle School.
Hockey boosters are meeting on the Wednesday, Jan. 12. All basketball teams will be traveling to the valley on Friday and Saturday and the cross-country ski team will be racing at Skyview on Friday and Saturday.
This Week's Events:
Monday, Jan. 10
-- C-Team Basketball at the Kenai Rec. Center -- 3 and 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 11
-- Hockey Boosters 6 p.m.
-- JV/V. Basketball vs. Nikiski at Kenai Middle School 3, 4:30, 6 and 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 14
-- V. Hockey vs. Bartlett 5:45 p.m.
Kenai Middle School
Second semester started this week. Report cards will be mailed out on Wednesday. If you do not receive your student's report card please call the office at 283-1700 to confirm your mailing address.
We would like to thank everyone for volunteering at KMS this past semester. We could not put on all of our programs without your efforts!
Spring break this year is from March 14--18. If you anticipate your child being gone for several school days around spring break please call the office at 283-1700 to excuse them.
January dates
Jan. 4 -- Wrestling, XC Skiing, Volleyball Intramurals started.
Jan. 14 -- Wrestling at KMS 3 p.m.
an. 21 -- Skiing at Skyview 3 p.m.
Jan. 22 -- Wrestling at SMS 9 a.m.
Jan. 27 -- Talent Show at KCHS.
Jan. 29 -- Wrestling at Nikiski 10 a.m.; Skiing at Seward TBA.
Mountain View Elementary School
Character Counts winners in December were Brynne Tedford, Xander Kinslow, Denali Glenzel, Logan Cotton, Patience Kruse, Dylan Maltby, Mekhai Rich, Kimberly Parazoo, Kainoa Kaona, Kameron Maxie, Calvin Barbgrover, Beverly Sims, Steven Miller, Grant Glidden, Kordell Flecha, Elora Jennings, Kaya Rose Cox, Roger Sims, Omar Palma, Jeremy Souders, Linnea Renken, Alyx Cook, Elijah Brown and Seth Kruse.
Report cards will be going home with students on Friday, Jan. 14.
Site Council will be meeting on Thursday, Jan. 13, at 4 p.m.
We had over 150 students participate in the Annual Elk's Hoop Shoot this year at Mountain View. Representing Mountain View at the Kenai Recreation Center on Dec. 3, taking second place in the 10-11 age group were Rachel Davidson and Travis Howell. Taking first place in the 8-9 age group were Jenna Goode and Mekhai Rich. We are proud of all our students and their participation in the hoop shoot.
Nikiski North Star Elementary School
There will be a sixth grade transitional meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. at Nikiski Middle High School. Please call the school at 776-2600 for more information.
Students are gearing up to compete in several fun competitions over the next few months. Some of these events include the Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, Battle of the Books and the Forensics Meet. The first event will be the school Geography Bee on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 11 a.m. in the library.
Redoubt Elementary School
PTA meets at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
Site Council meets on Wednesday at 3:45 p.m.
Fun Fest is Friday from 3:30 -- 5:30 p.m. Students must return their permission slips and $4 by Friday morning in order to participate.
Students should be picked up at their classrooms at 5:30 p.m.
Redoubt's Title I Parent Meeting will take place on Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m.
Redoubt's 4th, 5th, and 6th graders will present their winter musical, "We Haz Jazz," on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the Soldotna High School auditorium.
Last week's Big G Box Tops drawing winner was Kinley Glaves.
Soldotna High School
There will be a Jazz Band dessert concert on Thursday, Jan, 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please call 260-7054 for tickets, they will not be available at the door.
Senior Scholarship Folders are due in to the Counseling Office on Feb. 1.
The PSAT results are here. Students may come to the room 24 computer lab by 12:10 p.m. on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (Jan 11, 12 or 13) to receive your results and score interpretation. You will also find out about the PSAT "Score Report Plus" online and "My College QuickStart."
Sports information can be found at www.highschoolsports.net
Soldotna Middle School
Tuesday -- Morning assembly schedule, all-school spelling bee.
Friday -- Wrestling -- Seward and Nikiski at Soldotna, 3 .p.m.
Monday, Jan. 17 -- SMS Site Council meeting, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 21 -- Nordic Skiing, Soldotna Invitational at Skyview, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22 -- Wrestling, Soldotna Invitational Rubber Chicken Tournament, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25 -- Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month lunch.
Friday, Jan. 28 -- SMS Fortnightly, 6 -- 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 29 -- Nordic Skiing, Seward Invitational at Seward.
Saturday, Jan. 29 -- Wrestling, Nikiski Invitational at Nikiski.
Soldotna Montessori Charter School
Upper elementary students will be returning to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to collect data on specific locations assigned to each student. Students are monitoring their location using GPS devices and will be collecting and recording data throughout the seasons at the Refuge.
Many upper elementary students will also be participating in Peer Mediation training. Peer Mediation is a process in which students of the same age-group facilitate resolving disputes between two people or small groups. Peer mediators do not "make decisions" but rather work towards a win-win resolution for both sides in order to avoid future conflicts. This process has proven effective in schools around the United States, improving self-esteem, listening and critical thinking skills, school climate for learning, and reducing disciplinary actions.
All 5th graders are participating in a 10-week D.A.R.E. program. This program is facilitated for our students through the Soldotna City Police. The DARE program gives kids the life skills they need to avoid involvement with drugs, gangs, and violence.
Lower elementary students are beginning a study of the different body systems. Students in Mrs. Holt's room are also beginning a study of land forms, maps and continents.
Tustumena Elementary School
Congratulations to our Elks Hoop Shoot winners who competed in the district last weekend. For the 12-13 years old, Riley Kruse was 3rd and Renee Hinz was 4th; 10-11 years old, Eli Sheridan was 3rd and Abby Kruse was 3rd; 8-9 years old, Mika Wong was 3rd and Amanda Wylie was 2nd. Congratulations to all of our winners.
With all of the holiday baking you may find a lot of General Mills box tops coming through your kitchen. You can help our PTO by cutting those out and saving them. In January they are going to sponsor a box top classroom competition. Stay tuned for further details but for now start clipping the box tops for education labels.
Spelling Bee participants from grades 4-6 were: Cory Hinz, Steven McKendry, Afton Carlson, David Michael, Daniel Davis, Jeremy Kupferschmid, Jemma Lane, Austin Schrader, JD Bragg, Harley Stubblefield, Chance Turvin and Selby Hill. Congratulations to Afton Carlson, the runner-up, and Selby Hill, who was our winner and will represent us at the State Bee in Anchorage.
We are excited to welcome Judy Michaels as our new Special Services teacher. She will join us in January to fill the position Blanche Rogers has done a great job filling these past several weeks. A big thank you to Blanche for her great service to our kids.
Ten percent Goes Back to Schools is Back!
Mark your January shopping calendar. Shop at Safeway/Carrs and purchase items marked with the yellow school bus tag between Jan. 2 -- 25. Collect your receipts with the redemption code then return the receipts to school by Feb. 26 or enter the redemption codes online yourself to claim the 10-percent contribution to our school.
The PTO is still seeking donations
The PTO is still seeking donations for the carnival auction in February. If you work for a business that might be willing to donate for the auction please request the donation or have them contact the school for more information. If you're marking your calendar, the carnival will be on Friday Feb. 25.
Ja. 17 -- 28 -- Artist in Residence.
Jan. 18 -- PTO Meeting, 4 p.m.
Jan. 24 -- Site Council Meeting, 4 p.m.
Jan. 24 -- 28 -- Kindergarten pre-registration for the 2011-12 school year is from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m. daily during this week. Please bring immunization records and birth certificate.
Child must be 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2011.